The UV Baby Lancers celebrate their title victory at the center court after they dethroned high school champions Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles.
(CDN photo/Lito Tecson)
UV Baby Lancers dethrone Ateneo de Cebu via 2-0 sweep in Cesafi high school finals
The University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers shot down Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles, 72-65, in Game 2 to sweep the finals series and become the new champions in the high school division of the 17th Cesafi basketball tournament last night at the Cebu Coliseum.
Their backs against the wall after losing a 13-point third period lead and two of their best players – JJ Rosete and Jim Paul Amistoso – gone after fouling out, the Baby Lancers kept their composure and leaned on the clutch shotmaking of wingman Froiland Maglasang and Joshua Yerro to earn the huge victory and emerge victorious in the best-of-three affair, 2-0.
Maglasang finished with a team-high 15 points to go with five assists and three steals. Rosete bounced back from a horrendous Game 1 and put up 14 points while Beirn Laurente, who was named as the league MVP, pitched in 11.
After trailing by five early in the game, the Baby Lancers found their bearings and grabbed the upper hand with a 9-0 start to the third to build a 38-25 lead.
The Magis Eagles fought back with 11 straight points before the Baby Lancers settled for a 51-44 lead heading to the penultimate chapter.
Ateneo de Cebu found its second wind and surged ahead, 54-53, with a 10-2 blast sparked by point guard Franz Diaz, who scored eight straight.
But that proved to be the last time the Magis Eagles held the lead as the Baby Lancers responded with a triple by Maglasang, a free-throw by Yerro and a transition bucket by Jhiey Paraldo to nudge ahead, 59-54.
The Magis Eagles closed to within three but UV held its ground and pulled ahead by eight after five straight free-throws by Maglasang, Yerro and Paraldo.
The game eventually became a free-throw shooting contest down the stretch but UV proved steadier, making three straight to emerge victorious and snap Ateneo de Cebu’s four-year run at the top.
Big man Alex Visser scored 14 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to pace the boys in blue. Diaz and Patrick Yu finished with 13 apiece.
The Magis Eagles however, missed the usual production of Jed Colonia and Christian Manaytay, who combined for just 10 points on 4-of-16 shooting.
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