CIT-U’s Jasper Berezo glides through the air to complete layup against USC’s Briedyn Aleyth Smith in yesterday’s Cesafi men’s basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
Games today:
Cebu Coliseum
1:00 p.m. – USJ-R vs Don Bosco (Jrs.)
2:30 p.m. – UC vs SHS-AdC (Jrs.)
4 p.m. – UV vs CIT-U (Srs.)
5:30 p.m. – SWU vs USC (Srs.)
The University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars got back on the winning track as they waylaid the University of Southern Philippines-Foundation (USP-F) Panthers, 86-60, in the 15th Cesafi men’s basketball tournament yesterday at the Cebu Coliseum.
The Jaguars pounced on the Panthers from the opening tip and led, 23-5, at the end of the first frame and kept that lead until the final buzzer to end their first round with a 2-4 (win-loss) record.
RJ Dinolan paced USJ-R with a near double-double of 15 points, nine rebounds, three steals and two assists. Four other Jaguars in double-figures with Tricky Peromingan scoring 14, Jaybie Mantilla 13, Kevin Villafranca 12 points and 13 rebounds and Miguel Gastador chipping in 10.
The Panthers scored the game’s first basket but that proved to be the last time they held the lead as the Jaguars went on a 22-3 tear that spanned the first and the second periods to erect a 27-5 lead.
The Panthers clawed at the lead and trimmed it to a low of 12 after two free-throws and a transition deuce from Wisdom Ceniza. The Jaguars quickly responded with a triple from Peromingan and two quick baskets from Dinolan that pushed the lead back to 62-43 heading to the last canto.
The Panthers got 15 from Brantford Borces and 10 from Ceniza but it was far from enough to keep USPF from losing its sixth game in as many outings.
The shocker of the day though, came in the juniors competition as the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildkittens pulled the rug from under the previously unbeaten University of San Carlos (USC) Baby Warriors, 55-50.
CIT-U was in control for most of the way until USC came roaring back in the fourth. But with the game tied at 50-all, CIT-U guard Jasper Berezo found an opening and drove in, looping in a lay-up over the arms of USC behemoth Briedyn Smith for a 52-50 lead.
After USC failed to cash in on their possession, Berezo and Kirk Suson iced the win with free-throws.
Berezo had a masterful game with 23 points, five assists and six steals to help them improve to 2-4, while pulling USC down to 4-1.
In other results in the juniors division, the University of Cebu Baby Webmasters won their fifth game in seven tries with a 66-65 squeaker over the Cebu Eastern College Dragons.
The University of the Visayas Baby Lancers also trounced the USPF Baby Panthers, 87-65, behind the 20 points of talented forward Jancork Cabahug.
Both UV and USPF are tied in the standings at 3-3.
Today’s four-game playbill will be highlighted by the much-anticipated finals rematch between the reigning champions Southwestern University and USC. The Warriors won their first round match-up, 76-64, and has since gone undefeated in the first round.
The Cobras on the other hand, struggled mightily against the UV Green Lancers last time out, 48-57, and stand in third place at 3-2.