CEBU, Philippines – The University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers will bring their campaign for an unprece-dented 10th straight championship to a higher level as they collide with the Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras today at the start of the 10th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) basketball semifinals, which will follow a single round robin format at the Cebu Coliseum.
Prior to the UV-SWU duel, secondary division topseed Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons seek to avenge their 76-81 loss to the UV Baby Lancers in the elimination round that would possibly push them closer to their first ever finals appearance.
Unless the Cobras are able to contain the Lancers' wrath and have learned from the mistakes in their 57-75 loss in their previous meeting, this could be another blowout game for the mighty Lancers, who fin-ished the elimination with a perfect 7-0 record.
After bring brought into a basketball clinic by the Lancers, the fourth-ranked Cobras seemed to be still groping for form as they only pull off a 67-63 win against the Don Bosco Technology Center (DBTC) Greywolves in the final day of elimination.
Should the Lancers emerge victorious, they need only to win against either the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters or the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors to proceed in the finals.
The Lancers could easily forget the presence of their 6-foot-11 center Gregory Slaughter because with or without Slaughter, there is no problem for them afterall.
The likes of Ralf Olivares, Harold Cincoflores, Eman Calo and Phil Mercader are enough arse-nals in the Lancers' weaponry because they are practically a more dangerous scoring machines compared to the rest of the semifinalists.
The Cobras hope to get a big lift from Rene Pacquiao, Arrd Evan Diano, Clefford Maguate and Chris Litorja among others.
On the other hand, the Dragons will bank on their stars in the likes of Nike Montalvo, James Sumayang, Benjamin James Zosa, Roy Villarias and Johnmar Lou Regidor.
The Baby Lancers will rely on Gerald Legarde, Alwin Aguirre, Vincent Mendoza and Michael Smith as their possible source of points. (FREEMAN)