CEBU, Philippines – June Mar Fajardo exploded with 21 points as the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters downed the Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras, 82-66, in last Sunday's collegiate match of the 10th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) season at the Cebu Coliseum.
Earlier, the Don Bosco Technology Center (DBTC) Greywolves whipped the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF), 76-67.
It took only the first 10 minutes for Fajardo to make adjustments by the defense of his Cobras' counterpart Rene Pacquiao where he scored four points of the 14-18 Webmasters' first-quarter deficit.
But the second stringers fielded in by coach Roel Gomez proved to be potent with sophomores Gerald Ampoon and John Philipp Vincent de los Santos helping the Webmasters in taking a 39-35 lead at halftime.
After resting at the bench the entire second period, Fajardo came back in the third canto and it took only nearly full two quarters to wreak havoc as he put Pacquiao into serious foul trouble.
The Webmasters are now tied with the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers with 2-0 win-loss records. The Cobras suffered their first defeat in three starts.
Since no one was able to stop Fajardo, the Cobras appeared to have conceded in the fourth period when the Webmasters had a 23-point lead, 81-58.
The presence of Edward Pao added muscles at the paint for the Webmasters scoring 12 points, while Ampoon banged in 11 points.
Pacquiao led the Cobras with 14 points, but his aggressiveness dwindled down the stretch when he could no longer find assistance from his teammates especially with the absence of two other big men in Clifford Maguate and Ritchie Jalandoni, who went home to settle important personal matters.
Earlier, Clarito Hernando Jr. topped the Greywolves with 15 points, while Jan Pons Geraga and Archie Cortes scored 12 markers apiece. (THE FREEMAN)