THE University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers pulled off a shocker over the defending Cesafi champions Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu as they came away with a 77-76 overtime win over the mighty Magis Eagles in Game 1 of the best-of-three championship series in the SM National Basketball Training Center League last Friday at the Ateneo de Cebu campus in barangay Canduman, Mandaue City.
Marvin Oche picked up the scoring cudgels for the Baby Lancers in the absence of star forward Jancork Cabahug, as he scored the go-ahead three-pointer with 55 seconds remaining. Cabahug, UV’s undisputed heart and soul, fouled out midway through the extra session but not before torching the Magis Eagles’ defense for 35 points.
Justin Jake Rusete added 12 while Jay Paraldo chipped in 11 for UV who was looking to take the title in Game 2, which was still being played in as of press time.
The Baby Lancers had the inside track on the series-opening win as they held a 64-54 lead heading to the final 10 minutes of action. However, the Magis Eagles refused to back down and leaned on their championship experience to get back into the game and tie at 66-all after Cesafi MVP Jed Colonia’s two free-throws.
Ateneo’s Errol Pastor finally gave the Magis Eagles the lead, 72-71, with a bucket with nine ticks left but Cabahug split his charities with 2.5 seconds remaining to tie the match and send it to overtime.
The Magis Eagles surged in front at the onset of overtime after a triple by Andrew Velasco but the Baby Lancers kept close and trimmed the deficit to two, 74-76, off a free-throw by Rosete, 1:25 to go. Oche then hit a huge triple to put UV in the driver’s seat. The Magies Eagles had their chances to steal the win but Colonia and Pastor missed their attempts in the dying seconds to give the Baby Lancers the heart-stopping win.
Pastor led the Magis Eagles with 28 points. However, Colonia struggled and managed just nine. Ateneo de Cebu also shot themselves in the foot by missing nine free-throws in the fourth period and overtime.