UV 5 gets back at UC CEC takes 2-0 series lead

CEBU, Philippines - You can’t easily break the heart of a champion down.

Games today

(Cebu Coliseum)

2:30 pm SWU vs. USC

4:00 pm CEC vs. SHS-Ateneo

5:30 pm UV vs. UC

Trailing for most of the final half, nine-time titlist University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers drew bigtime plays from guards Harold Cincoflores, Phil Mercarder and John Abad at crunchtime to punch back at the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters, 61-58, and even their best-of-five finals at one game apiece in the collegiate division of the 10th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) basketball season last night at the Cebu Coliseum.

Earlier, the red-hot Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons moved a win away from claiming their first ever CESAFI crown after they affirmed their dominance over the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles in another lopsided manner, 69-52.

The Easternians gun for a 3-0 sweep today as they seek to carve what could possibly be an indelible mark in school history.

Cincoflores finished with 12 points, including seven straight in just one-minute span that put the Lancers on top by a matchstick, 57-56, with only 1:12 left to play.

With just 10 seconds gone by, the unstoppable 6-foot-9 goliath Junemar Fajardo pushed UC on top, 58-57, but that proved to be their last taste of lead as Mercader and Abad came to UV’s rescue when the game was on the line.

A barelling drive by Mercader gave UV a 59-58 edge aside from fishing out a foul from Fajardo.

Mercader missed his bonus throw but fortunately he got the offensive rebound. Although they missed to convert on that play, lady luck still smiled at them as the Webmasters committed a costly error on their possesion.

In the ensuing play, Abad was quickly fouled by Kevin Juliane with eight ticks left before the final buzzer. The diminutive playmaker calmly sank his twin gift shots to give the Lancers a 61-58 breather which turned out to be the final count.

UC still had a chance to forge an overtime but missed two chances. After Edward Pao bungled his attempt from beyond the arc, Fajardo got the offensive board but was blocked by Jerome Silva with only two seconds remaining. UC’s blew out their last chance to send the game into overtime after Fajardo’s attempt only kissed the rim as the gameclock expired.

In the secondary battle, Nike Montalvo was unstoppable from almost all angles as he sizzled for 24 points while Benjamin James Zosa relied on his hot three-point shooting to finish with 19 points for the Dragons. Zosa had a three-point answer almost everytime the Magis Eagles threatened to rally.

Meanwhile, the UV Baby Lancers settled for third place after scoring an 89-74 victory over the UC Junior Webmasters, but the Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras forged a rubbermatch when they defeated the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors for the first time in four meetings, 58-54. (FREEMAN)