Bassiere Sackour of Worthy-UV is triple-teamed by SWU defenders in the Cesafi Partner’s Cup last night at the Cebu Coliseum. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)
Continuing to impress in what has been a perfect run, the Worthy-University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers booked the first finals seat with a 70-62 win over arch-nemesis Phinma-Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras last night in the 8th Cesafi Partner’s Cup at the Cebu Coliseum.
Tristan Albina provided the needed production from the perimeter while the towering Bassiere Sackour took care of business in the paint for the Green Lancers, who pocketed their second win in the single round semifinals and likewise kept their unblemished record intact with their eighth straight win dating back to the elimination phase.
Albina finished with a game-high 19 points anchored on a five-for-12 shooting from the three-point land.
Adding three rebounds and three steals, Albina was a scoring juggernaut in a decisive run in the fourth that saw him rack up 10 straight points, allowing UV to turn a slim 53-48 lead into a sizable 64-54 cushion in the final 4:38.
Sackour, on the other hand, dominated the paint, scoring 11 points, grabbing 21 rebounds, while swatting two attempts.
The Cobras dropped to 1-1 despite the near triple-double of back-to-back Cesafi MVP Macmac Tallo, who piled up 11 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and a block. Shaquille Imperial topped SWU with 16 markers, while Darwin Barte added 10.
SEMIS STILL IN SIGHT
In the first game, the Mighty Sports-backed University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars stayed in the hunt for a semifinal berth after they downed the Highlands Corned Beef-University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters, 82-77.
Ralph Jude Dinolan fired 21 points, Ricky Peroningan scattered 17 and Edmundo Bayhonan delivered 13 for the Jaguars, who listed their first win in the semis for a 1-1 slate.
The loss booted the Webmasters out of contention as they fell to 0-2.