Triple grandslam for UV Lancers

CEBU - In 2007, the University of the Visayas Green Lancers won their seventh straight championship in the CESAFI men’s basketball tournament on the 77th birthday of UV’s biggest fan and supporter – the school president and Cebu First District Rep. Eduardo “Eddiegul” R. Gullas.

This season, the formidable Green Lancers recorded an unprecedented eight consecutive crown on October 8, 2008. Curiously, eight is the jersey number of their fallen comrade Lucky Pitogo, who was shot dead last summer by a still unknown assailants. In fact, the Lancers are dedicating their victory to him.

This early, UV has already trained its sights on a triple grandslam. You may ask UV coach Elmber ‘Boy’ Cabahug about that. It would be meaningful if they succeed in achieving that dream because Cabahug’s favorite number is nine and they own the league’s all-time longest winning streak of 36, which is equals to nine if we add the two digits.

This may sound odd, but Cabahug admitted they always have a target every CESAFI season and that is no less than to win the championship. That is the motivation he inculcated in the minds of his Lancers - make UV even greener.

“Well, every year we always have a target. It’s a challenge especially to the new players to give the Green Lancers a title,” said Cabahug, who is still basking in the glow of their recent conquest of the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars to rule the 2008 CESAFI collegiate cage war.

The Lancers finished off the Jaguars, 3-1, in their best-of-five finals series. They swept the first two games, but were humiliated by USJ-R in Game 3, 53-86. It was UV’s worst defeat in recent memory.

Playing with wounded pride, the Lancers showed what they’re really made off in a scrappy 73-68 triumph that knocked the lights off the Jaguars in Game 4.

“I have to commend Harold Cincoflores. He was the real star of that game,” said Cabahug. “We made certain adjustments especially in the proper execution of our offense which did not materialize in Game 3,” added the soft-spoken bench tactician who is actually a third generation of the Cabahug family that was part of the UV Lancers’s rich and colorful history.

Humble as he is, Cabahug said his present crop of Lancers are still a vulnerable team, but he looks forward with great sense of optimism believing that their latest championship glory would be a strong yardstick as they seek to scale greater heights in the next CESAFI season.

“They are still a vulnerable team, but winning the championship is a very good experience for them,” said Cabahug, one of the most feared long-range bombers in the PBA during his prime.

UV’s future will surely be built on their 6-foot-11 goliath in Greg Slaughter, who etched his name in stone as the first CESAFI player to sweep all three MVP awards in a singe season (regular season, All-Star and Finals).

“I salute the USJ-R Jaguars for giving us a good fight. I thank all the UV students, the alumni and the ex-Green Lancers who supported us all the way. Above all, we owe everything to the Gullas family,” said Cabahug. - THE FREEMAN