CEBU, Philippines - The fourth-ranked University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Baby Jaguars dealt topseed and defending champion University of Cebu (UC) Junior Webmasters their first loss, 85-77, to gain a 1-0 headway in their best-of-three semifinal series in the 9th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) secondary basketball competition last night at the Cebu Coliseum.
Despite being down by 18 points in the third period, 35-53, the Baby Jaguars kept on coming back and showed their resiliency by bringing down their deficit to a manageable 47-54 count.
The Junior Webmasters slowly became dull and rusty when the fourth quarter came, while in sharp contrast the Baby Jaguars kept on pounding them with Clint Muñez leading the furious comeback. The Baby Jaguars were safely ahead, 83-75, with only 35 seconds left to play on the way to complete the biggest comeback this season, so far.
Muñez scattered 25 points, whille Benjie Trozo finished with 18 points for the Baby Jaguars. Arlister Escatron and Gudeve Edu Autentico each contributed 15 markers.
Bull-strong center Alvin Labolabo paced the Junior Webmasters with 22 points. The missing link was Jerei Marion Pingoy, who had his worst game of the season scoring a measly four points. The only other bright spots for UC were Gerald Ampoon and Codilla with 33 points combined.
Meanwhile, CESAFI commissioner Felix O. Tiukinhoy, Jr. announced yesterday that Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras pointguard Eliud Poligrates became the latest entry to the list of suspended players for playing in other league while the season is not yet over - a grave violation in the CESAFI house rules.
Thus, Poligrates was barred from playing in their knockout match against the UCS Warriors for the last semis slot in the collegiate division, which was still being played as of this writing last night.
The scores
USJ-R (85) - Muñez 25, Trozo 18, Escatron 15, Autentico 15, Go 4, Senining 2, Alob 2, Montecillo 2, Figues 2
UC (77) - Labolabo 22, Ampoon 17, Codilla 16, Nazareno 9, Saramosing 7, Pingoy 4, Talisic 2 Halftime: 46-31 (GGM) (FREEMAN NEWS)