Lancers, Cobras clash today

CEBU, Philippines - The University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers and Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras take centerstage tonight in one of the much-awaited marquee match-ups in the 9th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) basketball season at the Cebu Coliseum.

In the other collegiate tussle, the Cebu Institute of Technology (CIT) Wildcats hope to notch their second win when they go up against the winless Don Bosco Technology (DBTC) Greywolves.

The Lancers hope to remain at the second place, but they face an uphill climb playing without their 6-foot-11 giant Gregory Slaughter, who will serve the one-game suspension slapped against him after incurring two technical fouls in their 79-65 victory over the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers last September 1.

The Cobras will try to exploit the absence of Slaughter as they bid to dislodge the Lancers at the second spot in the overall standings.

Sans Slaughter, Edrian Lao, Mark Anthony Manigque and Jerome Silva of the Lancers should step up bigtime to neutralize SWU’s frontcourt manned by Rene Pacquiao, Melvin Divinagracia and Gilbert Gallarde.

The other top guns for UV include Chris Victor Diputado, Harold Cincoflores and Ritchum Dennison. They will be ranged against the Cobras’ equally-explosive mainstays such as Ard Diango, Eleazar Armecin and flashy guard Eliud Poligrates.

Earlier in the day, the UC Junior Webmasters shoot for their sixth consecutive victory when they go up against the USJ-R Baby Jaguars, while the Sacred Heart School-Jesuit (SHS-J) Eagles will take on the Don Bosco Greywolves in the other featured secondary battle.   (FREEMAN NEWS)