UV bags 2nd VAAA cage crown

The University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers completed a two-game sweep of the Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras, this time in more convincing fashion, 84-71, to clinch the championship of the 2nd Visayas Amateur Athletic Association (VAAA) men’s basketball tournament last Sunday at the Cebu Coliseum.

Still smarting from that appalling loss in the National Students Basketball Championship (NSBC) last March 1 in the same venue, the Lancers could call it quits against the Cobras as of the moment although the inter-collegiate was  of higher magnitude.

But for VAAA Most Valuable Player Gregory Slaughter, the NSBC was already thing of the past.  When it was time for him to deliver, he gamely lived up to the challenge and so with rest of coach Elmer “Boy” Cabahug’s chargers.

 Slaughter, who was accounted for 22 points in their 85-82 victory in Game 1,  finished with 16 points. It maybe six points lower than his first game performance, but the bigger issue was that he knows how to help his team win during crucial moments.

The other hero for UV was Eduardo Arda, who dished out a season-high 23 points. It was a timely explosion for Arda as Michael Luga was held off to only two points after hitting 24 markers in the series opener. Von Harry Lanete chipped in 12 points.

Defense also mattered most on the part of the Lancers because they succeeded in limiting slippery guard Lloyd Poligrates to a measly two points, Alfred Belande to just three points and Richard Gianchand to four points.

In turn, it was Eric Zanoria, Eliazer Armecin and Chris Litorja who topscored for SWU with 12 points apiece. Clifford Maguate and Art Diango each scored 10 in the Cobras’ losing effort.

The scores

UV (84) - Arda 23, Slaughter 16, Lanete 12, Villanil 8, Tancongco 7,  Diputado 7, Dennison 6, Luga 2, Sendrijas 2, Akad 1

SWU (71) - Zanoria 12, Litorja 12, Armecin 12, Maguate 10, Diango 10, Jalandoni 5, Canonigo 4, Gianchand 4, Belande 3, Ploigrates 2