USJ-R bows out in style

Last year's runner-up University of San Jose-Recoletos Jaguars had a graceful exit after they whipped the University of San Carlos Warriors, 85-71, in the 5th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) basketball season on Saturday night at the Talisay City Sports Complex.

The double round elimination comes to a close tomorrow in Consolacion, with the UV Baby Lancers battling for survival against the CIT Wildkittens in a match that will decide who will make it into the secondary division semifinals.

In the secondary action, USP Baby Panthers knocked out the Don Bosco Greywolves, 63-60, while the USC Baby Warriors ousted the USJ-R Baby Jaguars, 63-51. The Panthers finished the elimination with an 8-4 win-loss record to grab the No.1 spot, while the Baby Warriors wound up with a 7-5 slate.

The semifinalists in the collegiate division had already been completed with UV at No.1 and UC, USP and USC taking the next three slots.

UV and UC, which are enjoying twice-to-beat incentives over their lower-ranked foes, are heading toward a finals meeting for the first time in five-year CESAFI history.

In the absence of Randy Pogoy's offense because of foul trouble, rookie Lyndon Gudez and Jerry Carilla rose to the occasion scoring 14 and nine points, respectively, to help Ranulfo Malinao and Luther Justiniani, who kept the Jaguars' semifinals hopes alive.

Had the Jaguars won by 17 points, they could have boot out the Warriors and advance into the semifinal round. In three instances, the Jaguars could only take a 16-point lead, the last was at 76-60 late in the fourth period.

Malinao topscored for the Jaguars with 19 points, while Justiniani added 16 markers.

Enrico Llanto shot poorly from the foul line, but still paced the Warriors with a game-high 29 points.

Spicing up the USJR-USC final encounter of the season last Saturday was the near-fight between Jaguar rookie Jimmy Buena and Warrior Niño Ramirez, who were slapped with a double technical in the first period.

Ramirez again was slapped with another technical for extending his elbow against another USJR rookie Raymond Maconocido in the second period.

In the third period, it was Pogoy who had a technical foul for giving a light elbow to Llanto at 8:05 in that period.

Earlier, Dennis Ferraren and San Jordan Hermosa led USP with 17 points each, while Jose Luis Garcia led Don Bosco with 15 points.

Jake Arriesgado led the Baby Warriors with 18 points, while Peter Alexander Te scored 13 of his 15 points in the fourth period.

Aniceto Lapiz Jr. and Renato Abing were the most consistent scorers for the Baby Jaguars with 19 and 12 points.