Lancers motor into semifinal round

CEBU, Philippines – Nine-time champion University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers greeted the third period with a 10-0 run and never gave up to escape with a 70-60 victory over the University of Southern Philippines- Foundation (USP-F) Panthers in the lone collegiate match of the 10th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) season last Thursday at the Cebu Coliseum.

From a close 35-33 halftime lead, the Lancers opened 10 straight points just after Lawrence Miguel Maraño tied it for the last time for the Panthers at 35-all at 9:23 to start the third period.

Just as the Panthers started heating up, Ralf Olivares provided the Lancers with quick offense as the Lancers extinguished the fire ignited by the crucial baskets from Jerome Silva, Adrian Lao and Phil Mercader.

Olivares led the Lancers with 14 points, Lao added 13 and Silva had 10 as they grabbed an outright finals berth.

Mercader and Harold Cincoflores did not finish in double figures but they had an excellent game for setting-up their open teammates for a good look at the baskets. 

Maraño, an undersized post player compared to UV's Rene Jun Saycon and Andrew Avillanoza, topscored for the Panthers with 16 points to fill up the slack left by Fritz Dajalos, who struggled because of the Lancers' solid defense. (FREEMAN)