USC Warriors hand SWU Cobras first loss in Cesafi

Games today:
Cebu Coliseum
1 p.m. – SHS-ADC vs. DBTC
2:30 p.m. – USC vs. CEC
4 p.m. – UV vs. USPF
5:30 p.m. –  CIT-U vs. USJ-R

Shooster Olago of USC finds himself on the floor after losing the ball to Jasper Parker of SWU. In the sidelines, USC head coach Junthy Valenzuela and some female fans seem amazed with the ongoing action.

The Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras have found a new foil and by some weird happenstance, they still happen to be wearing green.

This, as the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors upended the mighty Cobras, 57-56, in what was a tension and excitement-filled game in the Cesafi men’s basketball tournament last night at the Cebu Coliseum.

Import Espoir Toyambi was the biggest thorn in SWU’s side as he finished with 22 points, including the game-winning layup in transition that gave the upstart Warriors a 57-56 lead with 33 seconds remaining.

The team’s other import Shooster Olago added 16 markers for USC, which tied SWU at the top of the standings with identical 5-1 (win-loss) records.

SWU had a great start and led, 15-12, but USC quickly took over with a 10-0 run which featured six points from Toyambi capped by a thunderous two-handed follow-up slam that gave USC a 22-15 lead.

The Cobras kept in step all-game long and tied the game at 42-all heading to the final frame after an acrobatic layup by league’s reigning MVP Mark Jayven Tallo.

USC pushed the lead to 55-51 late in the game after fastbreak buckets from Toyambi and Ian Ortega but SWU came roaring back and gained the driver’s seat after a corner triple from Melvin Holper and some nifty play from Tallo, who blocked USC forward Christian Laude on one end before driving down the lane and dropping it off to import Landry Sanjo for the go-ahead layup, 56-55.

That lead did not last long as USC quickly inbounded the ball and found a streaking Toyambi who scored the marginal basket down low.

SWU had two chances to grab the win.

But Tallo turned the ball over on the first try. The Cobras regained possession as the ensuing looseball scramble saw the ball go out of bounds, last touched by a USC player.

With 10.8 ticks on the clock, former Far Eastern University guard Jovanie “John Lloyd” Luz dribbled down the floor and pulled up for a jumper that was wide right as time expired, giving USC the victory.

Sanjo paced SWU with 16 while Tallo and Bernie Bregondo had 12 and 10 markers, respectively.

In the other seniors’ game, the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars (2-4) kept their hopes for a semifinals seat alive with a hard-fought 91-83 win over the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters (1-5).

In juniors action, the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles kept their unbeaten record with an 88-45 rout of the UC Baby Webmasters while the USJ-R Baby Jaguars devoured the Don Bosco Greywolves, 106-44.