DO-OR-DIE GAME 5

UV Green Lancers, USC Warriors dispute Cesafi men’s basketball title Tuesday

Alfred Codilla of UV drives strong to the basket against USC while Shooster Olago and Steve Akomo battle for rebounding position in Game 4 of the Cesafi men’s basketball finals at the Cebu Coliseum.
CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON

Game Tuesday:
Cebu Coliseum
6 p.m. – UV vs USC

Will the University of the Visayas (UV) dynasty that has lain  dormant for the past three years be finally restored? Or will a long 57-year wait finally pay off for a University of San Carlos (USC) bunch that has long underachieved?
The answers to these questions and more will be known today as the Green Lancers do battle with Warriors one last time Tuesday in the deciding Game 5 of the 15th Cesafi men’s basketball finals at the Cebu Coliseum.
Despite having already 10 titles to their name including an astounding championship run from 2001 to 2009, the Green Lancers remain thirsty for more, having last held the crown in 2012 when they overhauled a 0-2 series deficit to take down the Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras.
After a horrendous season last year that saw in-fighting both among players and coaches, UV has turned its boat around and is within a win away from sweet redemption.
“We survived all the trials from last year to this season, from the elimination round, semis and all the way here in the finals. We’re here now in the last and final scheduled game; this is the chance given to us. As sir Eddie Gullas (UV President) always says, we must play like [there’s] no tomorrow,” UV head coach Gary Cortes said.
MENTAL
TOUGHNESS
Ironically, USC is also after the same thing – redemption – after losing badly, 49-64, in the deciding Game Five of last year’s finals to the Cobras. Warriors head coach Britt Reroma continues to plead with his team to exhibit mental toughness, now more than ever.
“It’s all about mental toughness. Whoever wants it more will win this series,” said Reroma to his team that seemingly lost steam  in the final 20 minutes of Game Four.
Holding a 30-22 lead at halftime and a 44-41 lead at the end of the third, USC failed to hang on, forcing ill-advised shots and committing horrendous fouls that paved the way for a 62-70 loss that tied the best-of-five series at 2-2.
Even more disconcerting for USC was the fact that its prized center Shooster Olago committed four fouls and was a virtual non-factor, finishing with just seven points on 3-of-12 shooting.
“We must preserve Shooster’s (Olago) fouls. And moreover, we need to execute because in the second-half of Game Four, nag-kanya-kanya na mi,” added the former mentor of the San Beda Red Cubs.
But while Reroma is concerned with his team finishing strong, Cortes is wary of his team’s start.
“That Game Four start, that was our worst ever. We can’t afford to have the  very same start in Game Five. All we ask of them is to play their game, their normal roles and play as a team on both ends of the floor.”