Could a scoring machine prevail over team defense?
Games today: (Cebu Coliseum)
4 pm UC vs. USP (Preliminary)
5:30 pm DBTC/Unilab-Alaxan vs. CIT/Metro Gaisano (for 3rd place)
7 pm UC/Aspac Bank vs. USJ-R/ Bibbo Hotdog (Game 1)
The answer will be known tonight when the USJ-R/Bibbo Hotdog and the UC-Aspac Bank play Game 1 of the best-of-three championship series for the CESAFI Reinforced Partner’s Cup at the Cebu Coliseum.
On paper, USJ-R is the odds-on favorite to win its second title in as many tournaments. The team has just bagged the La Fortuna Cup four days ago over SWU Cobras. Counting their sweep of that tournament and the elimination round of the Partner’s Cup, they are 15-0.
Standing between that second crown is a 6’7” behemoth in Jun Mar Fajardo. This prized center of UC has been the dominant big man, so far, in the Partner’s Cup. A virtual scoring machine, Fajardo owns the tournament’s record of 50 points.
Despite winning their two matches in the elimination, Coach Eddie Salacot of USJ-R is wary of Fajardo and said that they will try to limit his production during the series.
Salacot said he plans to keep Fajardo’s production at a minimum by applying team defense on the slotman. That seems to be the logical tactic because the Jaguars seemed to have gelled after playing in various local tournaments with virtually the same lineup.
Coach Roel Gomez of UC, on the other hand, expressed optimism regarding their chances against USJ-R. In last Thursday SCOOP Forum at Baseline Restaurant, he said it is not impossible to beat the Jaguars but they have to make adjustments and try to nail the first game. He also said that they are the hungrier team and vowed to give the Jaguars a big fight.
The Jaguars will lean on Luther Luke Justiniani and some old hands in the likes of Ranulfo Malinao, Manny Gabas and Randy Pogoy to join forces with Armand Ponce, Lyndon Gudez, Bobby Hatague and Jessmar Villahermosa.
Fajardo will have back-ups in Allain Abellanosa, Jonathan Canceran, Kelvin Juliane, Lawrence Agas, Miguelito Ducay, Janssen Abella and Jared Kane Abatayo, among others.
Earlier today, the DBTC/Unilab and CIT/Metro dispute the third place after a preliminary game.