Padillo's last-second trey lifts Warriors past Cobras

CEBU, Philippines - Streak-shooter Giovanni Padillo knocked in a clutch 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds left to play to power the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors to a 74-73 cliffhanger over the Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras in the 9th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) basketball season on Tuesday night at the Cebu Coliseum.

Games on Saturday

(Cebu Coliseum)

1 pm USJ-R vs. CEC (Jrs.)

2:30 pm USC vs. SHS-J (Jrs.)

(Srs.)

4 pm SWU vs. CIT

5:30 pm USJ-R vs. USPF (Srs.)

Staring at an impending defeat with a 71-73 deficit in the final eight seconds, Padillo received an inbound pass a few meters away from the Warriors’ bench, dribbled for a few seconds then popped up for the killer trey just before time that left the Cobras and the rest of their supporters motionless for a while.

As the Cobras failed to convert a basket in a catch-and-shoot situation, the pro-Warriors fans responded with a thunderous applause as Padillo’s teammates blithely mobbed him on their bench.

The Cobras quickly grabbed the driver’s seat on a tip-in by Rene Pacquiao, 70-69, and a split charities by Gilbert Gallarde made it 71-69 with 34.4 ticks left before the final buzzer.

Veteran playmaker Arrd Diango handed the Cobras’ their last taste of lead, 73-71, as Padillo came in to weave one big magic for the Warriors.

Sam Jordan Hermosa torched 16 points, while Padillo banged in 14 markers as the Warriors evened their win-loss record to 3-3. The other USC cagers dished out twin figures in Cantonao with 11, and Joven Cid Cortes and Gallarde with 10 markers apiece.

The Cobras, who dropped to fifth place with a 2-3 win-loss card, were led by Eliud Poligrates with 15 points followed by Pacquiao with 13.

The scores

USC (74) - Hermosa 16, Padillo 14, Cantonao 11, Cortes 10, Gallarde 10, Padayao 7, Bautista 2, Bercede 2, Bakker 2

SWU (73) - Poligrates 15, Pacquiao 13, Gallarde 11, Pria 11, Jalandoni 8, Diango 8, Ortuyo 5, Litorja 2

Halftime: 40-32 (FREEMAN NEWS)