Jaguars, Warriors eye finals slots

CEBU, Philippines - Topseeds Ave Maria Sanctuary Park-USJR Jaguars and San Marino Corned Tuna-USC Warriors shoot for finals slots today against separate foes in Game 2 of the best-of-three semifinal series of the CESAFI Partner's Cup at the Cebu Coliseum.

Games today: (Cebu Coliseum)

2:30 pm Enervon-UC vs. Ave Maria-USJR (Jrs.)

4 pm Aerosol-USPF vs. Ave Maria-USJR (Srs.)

5:30 pm PTT Fuels-UV vs. San Marino-USC (Srs.)

Earlier this afternoon, high school top qualifier Enervon-UC Junior Webmasters and fourth-seed USJR Baby Jaguars meet anew to determine who between them will earn the right to meet the PTT-UV Baby Lancers in the finals.

Both the Jaguars and the Warriors need only to win another game today to arrange a finals showdown for the first time as they took the series opener convincingly last Sunday.

The number 1 seed Jaguars warded off upset threat from fourth-ranked Aerosol-USPF Panthers by scoring an 83-70 victory while the Warriors scored a repeat over the PTT Fuels-UV Lancers via a 105-94 conquest duplicating their precarious 78-74 victory in the eliminations decided only in the last few seconds.

Unless the Panthers have some surprises up their sleeves like the way they ousted the Enervon-UC Webmasters, it would be difficult to prevent the Jaguars from scoring a two-game sweep.

      The Warriors-Lancers showdown could take a different look tonight, but the Lancers need to lay down their aces to stop the Warriors from making their first ever Partner's Cup finals appearance.

They met the Lancers twice in the CESAFI finals but lost both times.

Man for man, the Jaguars are the better team compared to the Panthers. But that cannot be said to the Warriors who are fighting against the more experienced Lancers.

The Jaguars have three seasoned players who can boost their campaign in Manny Gabas, Jabe Delfino and Armand Ponce.

The Warriors, who are banking on grit and hard work that made them legitimate contenders, are pinning hopes on their outside shots where they are most potent especially if Michael Cantonao and Giovanni Padillo are in their deadly shooting forms.

On the other hand, the Lancers who try to rebound tonight will rely on Phil Mercader, Harold Cinclofres and Ralf Olivares, among others. (FREEMAN NEWS)