Cobras seize Toledo cage crown

CEBU, Philippines – The gritty Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras had to wade through rough waters at the endgame before fending off the CCC-CSD Builders, 79-76, in the deciding match of their best-of-three finals series to clinch the open division crown of the 1st Vice Mayor Rudy Espinosa Cup basketball tournament on Wednesday night at the jampacked Barba Sports Complex in Toledo City.

As time dwindled down in the 40-minute skirmish, it was still nobody’s game especially when veteran guard Raul Redulosa cooly sank a pair of free throws to pull the CSD Builders within just a hairline, 76-77, with 32 ticks left before the final buzzer.

Lucky luck continued to smile at the Builders as they regained ball possession after the Cobras tapped the ball out of bounds.

In the ensuing sequence, Redulosa threw an inbound pass to thee-point artist Aldrin Ocañada but the ball was intercepted by SWU’s Eric Zanoria, who then dashed for a breakaway layup to ensure the Cobras’ triumph.

Zanoria was without doubt the man of the hour for the Cobras with a game-high 26 points, 14 of which he sprayed in the first period.

Aard Diango added 13 points as the Cobras went home P70,000 richer.

Ocañada paced the Builders with 22 points, while Franklin Nailon and Danny delos Santos contributed 32 points combined as they pocketed P50,000.

The Ave Maria Sancturay Park.USJ-R Jaguars already settled for third place after routing the the Asian College of Technology (ACT) Cyber Knights.

The event served as one of the highlights of Toledo’s annual fiesta celebration on June 11-12 in honor of its patron saint San Juan de Sahagun.

City councilor Jun Borja, who sponsored the preliminary game dubbed as the “Battle of Badings”, and tournament director Estoy Jaranilla assisted Vice Mayor Rudy Espinosa in awarding the trophies and cash prizes to the winners.

The scores

SWU (79) - Zanoria 26, Diango 13, Gallarde 9, Poligrates 9, Armecin 8, Jalandoni 6, Belande 4, Litorja 2, Pacquiao 2

CCC-CSD (76) - Ocañada 22, Nailon 19, Delso Santos 13, Jaca 8, Abobo 6, Abatayo 4, Redulosa 2 Halftime: 43-37 – GGM (THE FREEMAN)