SWU Cobras duplicate Cesafi championship win, nip USC Warriors to bag AUBC crown
Southwestern University import Landry Sanjo (left) collides with teammate JR Parker while going up for a rebound against a University of San Carlos player in the championship game of the Asian University Basketball Championship yesterday at the Cebu City Sports Institute. ( CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
The Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras claimed their second title in a span of a week as they survived the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors, 68-66, in the championship game of the Asian University Basketball Championship (AUBC) yesterday at the Cebu City Sports Institute.
Just a week after hoisting the title in the Cesafi at the expense of these very same Warriors, the Cobras were at it again but had to survive some tense moments in the endgame as USC came roaring back from a 21-point deficit.
The Cobras were well in control of the match from the get-go with a 10-0 run pushing them to a 25-12 first period lead. They remained ahead 42-29 at halftime and then, threatened to put the game away in the third with 10-2 blast capped by a strong drive by JR Parker and a gorgeous scoop shot by Mac Tallo for a 52-31 bulge, 6:45 to go in that stretch.
But the Warriors steadily made their way back with a stream of free-throws by import Shooster Olago cutting the deficit down to nine, 50-59.
Then later in the final frame, with SWU import Landry Sanjo fouling out with 39.3 seconds remaining, Victor Rabat took full advantage and drove in for an and-one play to trim the Cobras lead to just one, 66-67, 8.8 ticks left.
Parker was fouled immediately with 3.7 seconds remaining and made one before missing the second. However, SWU power forward Daryl Goloran grabbed the offensive rebound to seal the win and the crown.
Sanjo finished with 18 points and was named as tournament MVP while Parker added 17. Tallo chipped in 12.
Olago paced USC with 16 while Rabat added 12.
On the other hand, Myongji University claimed third place with a 73-70 win over the University of the Visayas Green Lancers.
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