USC’s Gio Laguyo tries to get past UV’s Sheldon Gahi in the Cesafi Partner’s Cup tournament at the Cebu Coliseum. (CDN PHOTO/ JONAS PANERIO)
The Worthy-University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers bucked a sluggish start and blew away the reigning Cesafi champions Cebu Landmasters-University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors, 76-62, in the 8th Cesafi Partner’s Cup on Saturday evening at the Cebu Coliseum.
The Green Lancers were almost too eager to show that there was more to them than just Jun Manzo and Leonard Santillan — their two stars who just recently defected to the University of the Philippines — and paid the price early on as they fell behind 1-10 after the first five minutes of action and started at a 6-17 deficit heading to the second canto.
But UV found its bearings and unleashed a 22-6 blitz anchored on point guard Sheldon Gahi and wingmen Rey Suerte and Josue Segumpan that turned the game around in their favor.
The trio accounted for 17 points in that telling stretch that put the Lancers ahead, 28-23, an advantage that settled at 34-30 at halftime.
It was all UV from that point onward as the Green Lancers tightened the screws on defense and flummoxed the neophyte-filled Warriors.
Suerte led the way for UV with 18 points while Segumpan torched the nets for 15, 11 coming in the second highlighted by three triples.
Ian Ortega had 13 for USC — a team currently in limbo with a plethora of rookies including their new reinforcement, 6-foot-11 beanpole Niambili Bourama from Mali. Jules Langres, a former standout of Cebu Institute of Technology-University, added 10 markers.
Meanwhile, the Mighty Sports-University of San Jose-Recoletos Jaguars held off a furious comeback attempt by the My Led Opto-Cebu Institute of Technology-University Wildcats to emerge victorious, 70-63.
In the opening game, the Highlands Corned Beef-University of Cebu Webmasters routed the Tyron Properties-University of Southern Philippines Foundation Panthers, 91-72.