Wily guard’s tip-in in final 1.6 ticks lifts SWU over UV

Landy Sanjo (left), import of Southwestern University, battles for the rebound against his counterpart Jeff Aguara of the University of the Visayas in last night’s main game of the Cesafi basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

One good turn certainly deserves another. This, Mark Jayven Tallo proved in emphatic fashion as he scored the game-winning tip-in with 1.6 seconds left to lift his Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras to a pulsating 63-61 win over the reigning title-holders University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers in the Cesafi men’s basketball tournament last night at the Cebu Coliseum.

Down seven, 54-61, late in the game, SWU appeared to be raising the white flag as head coach Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba started to send in his reserves. However, Tallo would have nothing of it as he combined with import Bendly Valdor to stage the thrilling comeback.

Valdor sparked the rally with a long three-pointer before Tallo added a nifty scoop shot that trimmed the deficit down to two, 59-61, with 1:30 to go. UV had a shot to push their lead further but Franz Arong muffed two free-throws and Tallo, after drawing a blocking foul off the Green Lancers’ import Jeff Aguara, tied the game at 61-all with two pressure-packed charity makes, 38 ticks remaining.

The Green Lancers once again had a golden opportunity to steal the victory but instead turned the ball over.

Sensing blood in the water, Tallo drove hard down the lane but missed the lay-up. But the former La Salle guard did not give up on the play, soared high to tip the ball and give SWU the lead, 63-61, with 1.6 ticks left.

UV forward Leonard Santillan missed a half-court heave as time expired, giving SWU their eighth win in nine games. UV on the other hand, suffered their sixth loss against four wins. The irony of the game’s winning play was not lost on Tallo and the rest of the Cobras as the Lancers defeated them for the Cesafi title last season with a last-second tip-in from former MVP Wowie Escosio.

Tallo flirted with a rare triple-double as he finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. He was especially lethal at the end of the first half where he anchored a 15-0 run with three assists and four points that pushed SWU ahead, 34-31, at halftime. Cameroonian reinforcement Landry Sanjo led the way for the Cobras with 20 points and nine rebounds.

Aguara paced UV with 16 even as Alfred Codilla pitched in 12. Last year’s Finals MVP, John Abad, had a muted game and ended up with just 10.

Meanwhile, the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors kept in step with SWU as they routed the University of San Jose-Recoletos Jaguars (USJ-R), 67-47. The tag team of Espoir Toyambi and Shooster Olago did the most damage for USC as they had 14 and 11 points, respectively. The Jaguars on the other hand, struggled mightily on offense and dropped to 3-5 (win-loss) and fourth place in the standings.

In the juniors division, USC (5-2) also dropped USJ-R (1-6), 66-50, while the Cebu Institute of Technology-University Wildkittens slipped past the University of Southern Philippines Foundation Baby Panthers, 80-75.