Webmasters, Dragons top foes in game1

CEBU, Philippines - The University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters last night drew the first blood in their best-of-five championship series against the defending champion University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers with a 72-66 win in Game 1 of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) basketball finals at the Cebu Coliseum.  

Games tomorrow

(Cebu Coliseum)

1 pm - UV vs. UV (Jrs. for 3rd place) 

2:30 pm - USC vs. SWU (Srs. for 3rd place)              

4 pm SHS - Ateneo vs. CEC (Jrs. finals)              

5:30 pm UV vs. UC (Srs. finals)

Earlier, the Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons won the series opener against the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles via an 88-70 demolition.             

The Webmasters blew away a 12-point third quarter lead, but despite of the meltdown they only allowed the Lancers to tie the count on one occasion in the entire game, 58-all at the 6:51 mark of the fourth period.

After UC’s 6-9 center Junemar Fajardo made it 60-58, the Lancers could no longer come up with good shots although they never let the Webmasters pull away.               

Obviously, the height advantage became the Webmasters' most lethal weapon and with Fajardo dominating the paint.

Adding to the Webmasters' more superior offense was the presence of Edward Pao and Quinton Brian Heruela.

Fajardo has been UC’s go to guy when it needs instant offense with the support of guards Kelvin Juliane and Robinson Mohammad. 

Fajardo led the Webmasters with 23 points. Heruela added 15 and Juliane had 12 markers.

The Webmasters largest lead in the game was at 14 points, 34-20 late in the second period.              

Calo led the Lancers with 18 points while John Michael Abad and Adrian Lao added 12 and 11 points, respectively.           

 Earlier, the Dragons had four players scoring 14 points to lead their near flawless offense and showed the same fashion when they demolished the Magis Eagles in the league opener last July 31 when they scored an 87-70 rout.           

Nike Montalvo, Benjamin James Zosa, Roy Villarias and Marvin Bauya spelled the difference for the Dragons, who also mounted a solid defense.             The Magis Eagles' shooting went sour in the third period and even if Adrian Roland Muller top scored with 22 points, he still missed so many under goal shots in the last five minutes of the ballgame. 

Inspired by the presence of their chief backer and prominent alumnus, Chester Cokaliong, the Dragons led by as many as 22 points, 85-63, with still over a minute left to play.

“If we win the championship, it is history for the school that has transformed itself from being a laughing stock to champion,” Cokaliong said.

“This is the first time that this has happened in Cebu inter-school basketball.”

He said that he is very confident that the team can reach its goal of winning the title.

He also thanked Frederick ‘Llama’ Ong, a fellow alumnus, who believed that the team can reach this far in the tournament.

Both the Webmasters and the Dragons are gunning for a pivotal 2-0 lead tomorrow. (THE FREEMAN)