UV, CEC eye semis berths

CEBU, Philippines – Nine-time champion University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers and surprise top qualifier Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons gun for automatic semifinal berths when they go up against their respective eighth seed rivals today in the 10th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) season at the Cebu Coliseum.

The UV Lancers will take on the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers in the main game at 6 pm, right after the CE Dragons tackle the Uni-versity of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Baby Jaguars at 4:30 pm.

Both the Lancers and the Dragons are armed with twice-to-beat incentives.

The Lancers defeated the Panthers in their previous meeting, 67-59, while the Dragons slammed the Baby Jaguars, 72-58.

From the height to athleticism, the Lancers are far superior than the Panthers.

Guards Harold Cincoflores, Eman Calo, Phil Mercader and rookie John Paul Abad are certainly too formidable against whoever brings the ball from the Panthers' side. UV's shooters can do more damage and their big men can easily protect their fortress.

Except perhaps for Fritz Dajalos, the Panthers could no longer look for another offensive option unless Ellison Rivera will regain his shooting form.

Dennis Earvin Ferrarin and younger brother James could be a big help, but the Panthers will surely have a problem controlling the boards with undersized post players in the likes of Armel Fuentes, Christian Tinoy, Mil Anthony Linao and Lawrence Miguel Marano compared to the Lancers' power four in Adrian Lao, Rene Jun Saycon, An-drew Avillanoza and Jerome Silva.

On the other hand, the Dragons, who emerged as elimination round topnotcher for the first time in school history, will bank on the likes of Nike Montalvo, Benjamin James Zosa, Roy Vincent Villarias, James Neil Sumayang and Johnmar Lou Regidor, while the Baby Jaguars rely mainly on brothers Renzo and Rendell Senining and Neriel Magdali. (FREEMAN)