CESAFI 2006 Basketball: Webmasters rebound

Playing like wounded tigers, the University of Cebu Webmasters made up of their heart-breaking back-to-back losses last week and vented their ire against the Cebu Institute of Technology Wildcats, scoring a masterful 103-81 victory in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) collegiate basketball event the other night at the Cebu Coliseum.

The Webmasters, who settled to a 1-1 tie with the Wildcats last year, improved their win-loss record to 2-2 and needs only to win their last two games against the USC Warriors this coming Saturday and against Don Bosco College on August 20 to assure themselves of securing at least a spot in the top four behind UV, USP and USJR.

Last year, the Webmasters made it to the finals but lost to the mighty UV Green Lancers via a sweep but not after snapping the Lancers' 54-0 record by pulling off with a 75-68 win at the UV gym.

The Webmasters, who were also effective in their halfcourt trap and scoring in transition, kept the Wildcats guessing on their offense because topgunner Allain Abellanosa had found his range later in the third period. But he still managed to score 15 points.

The tandem of Jonathan Canceran and defensive guard Jared Kane Abatayo led the Webmasters' offense with 17 points apiece while Franco Cipriano finished with 12 points.

The Webmasters suffered two unforgettable losses last week as they blew up a nine-point lead in the final 2:58 in the final period and lost by five points, 99-104, to the USJR Jaguars who now fell to 2-1 after losing to the USP Panthers, 82-77, in a physical game that resulted into the ejection of Panther offguard Bryan Travero.

Against UV, the Webmasters collapsed in the closing seconds and what they needed was a basket by Abellanosa that would have been the marginal shot which he missed point-blank due to a defensive pressure.

The scores

UC (103) - Abatayo 17, Canceran 17, Abellanosa 15, Cipriano 12, Flanco 9, Rez 8, Ceniza 8, Fajardo 7, Agas 4, Abella 2, Cadayong 2, Tulda 2

CIT (81) - Lumongsod 15, Aniñon 13, Abobo 10, Guevarra 8, Reyes 8, Villarba 7, Abatayo 7, Abapo 5, Montealto 5 Halftime: 40-38