After game 3 humiliation: UV Eyes jugular again

CEBU - Barring any hitches and other obstacles, it looks like no one can prevent seven-time champion University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers and the University of Cebu (UC) Junior Webmasters from celebrating today as they go for the jugular in the respective divisions in Game 4 of the best-of-five finals series in the 8th Cebu Schools Athletic Founation, Inc. (CESAFI) basketball season at the Cebu Coliseum.

Games today

(Cebu Coliseum)

3:30 pm USC vs.

UC (Srs. for 3rd place)

5:00 pm UC vs.

UV (Jrs. championhip)

6:30 pm USJR vs.

UV (Srs. championship)

In the preliminary of a triple-header, the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors and the UC Webmasters will slug it out in the deciding Game 3 for the third place trophy in the seniors division.

Facing possible extinction with a 0-2 deficit last Monday night, the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJR) Jaguars literally resurrected from the graveyard in style, dealing the mightly UV Lancers a humiliating 86-53 defeat.

Tonight is the night not just for the Jaguars who wanted to have another lease of life and forge a deciding Game 5, but also for the Lancers who are shooting for an unprecedented eight straight CESAFI championship.

In that uncharacteristic 33-point defeat that blew the Lancers into pieces, 6-foot-11 MVP Gregory Slaughter was a lame duck scoring only a measly two points. There were only two speculations to describe Slaughter in that sub-par performance - either he was over fatigued or just overconfident.

If he does the same thing tonight, he will be fitted with another MVP acronym or More Vulnerable Person.

Oftentimes, there is a problem when a team is dependent on one person because you will either live and die with him. The Lancers hope that is not their case.

It cannot be denied that the presence of Slaughter at the post could change every attempt by the Jaguars whether a layup or a peremiter shot because of his two-meter wing span.

In the same breathe, it cannot be denied in Game 3 that Slaughter was defended very well by the Jaguars that even his extra passes and pivots were anticipated and thereby, intercepted.

Fortunately when it mattered for the Jaguars, Luther Luke Justiniani delivered. He scored 25 points to offset his 14-point output combined in their first two defeats of the series.

The other factor was that Manny Gabas and Randy Pogoy, two of he Jaguars’ physical players, were not goofing around.

Also in that game, Ritchum Dennison and Harlow Chad Villanil were scoreless, therefore, the Jaguars should expect a ferocious reprisal from UV.

A win tonight by the Lancers and the Junior Webmasters could end the CESAFI basketball season no matter who will win between the Warriors and the Webmasters.

If the results proved otherwise, then there will be another playoffs to settle the winner.  (THE FREEMAN)