USC's win vs. USJ-R under protest

CEBU, Philippines - The short-handed University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors lost a 22-point third quarter lead but managed to squeeze out a 76-75 nail-biter against the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars in a controversial collegiate match of the 10th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) the other night at the Cebu Coliseum.

The Jaguars of coach Edito Salacut immediately put the game under protest due to the game officials’ failure to ascertain whether a shot by USJ-R’s Jaymar de la Peña was a 2-pointer or a 3-pointer.

Down by a mile, 37-59, the Jaguars mounted a trapping defense the entire fourth period and it worked wonders for them as they outscored the Warriors, 34-15, to lose only by one point.

The controversy arose when De la Peña buried a buzzer-beating shot that was still unresolved whether it was counted as two points or a three-pointer. When De la Peña made his attempt, one of the three officials raised his one hand signaling a three but could not ascertain it until the end of the game.

Jaguars’ coach Edito Salacut was outrageous when he ran into the midcourt to ask clarification from the referees. The pro-Warriors fans said it was a two-pointer, while the Jaguars’ fanatics believed it was a three-pointer. Nothing is made official yet except for USJ-R’s one-point loss.

The Jaguars camp is expected to submit a written protest and they demanded that a five-minute overtime should be played. They also requested to review the videotape but nobody assumed responsibility of having taken that.

The Warriors only had a 76-73 edge after Nilton John Otida split his charities with only three seconds left to play. In the ensuing sequence, De la Peña sank a buzzer-beating basket that was ruled only as two points. Had it been counted as a trey, the game would haven been sent into overtime.

Joven Cid Cortes, who dominated the undergoal, tospcored for the Warriors with 21 points even as four others cashed in double figures.

Gian Carlo Albarillo led the Jaguars with 18 points, while Jason Nudalo and Edwin Bibera added 14 and 13 points, respectively.

Earlier, nine-time champion University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers put their acts together in the fourth period to tame the stubborn Cebu Institute of Technology (CIT) Wildcats, 89-75, and join the Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras atop the leaderboard with identical 2-0 slates.

Edrian Lao muscled his way to a 22-point finish, while guards Eman Calo and Phil Mercader connived for 23 points for the Lancers.

Chester Curso had 20 points for the Wildcats followed by Arnel Ipang with 17 and Floyd Taboada with 13.

The scores

First game

UV (89) - Lao 22, Calo 13, Olivares 11, Mercader 10, Cincoflores 8, Perolino 7, Abad 5, Rios 4, Delantar 4, Vilanil 2, Silva 2, Saycon 2

CIT (75) - Curso 20, Ipang 17, Taboada 13, Dimco 7, Lopez 5, Booc 4, Cabanero 4, Canete 2, Batiquin 1 

Second game

USC (76) - Cortes 21, Hermosa 14, Otida 11, Codilla 10, Santos 10, Panerio 7, Uy 3

USJR (75) - Allbarillo 18, Nudalo 14, Bibera 13, Dela Pena 9, Munez 7, Abing 4, Tabaloc 3, Amores 3, Lapiz 2, Suliman 2 (FREEMAN NEWS)