UC trips USJ-R in OT, 95-87

CEBU, Philippines - Defending champion University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters opened their title-retention bid in a winning note, but needed five extra minutes before defeating the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJR) Jaguars, 95-87.

Games today

(Cebu Coliseum)   

5:15 pm USJR vs. CIT-U (Sec.)   

6:45 pm USC vs. UC (Coll.) 

It was the lone collegiate match featured in last Sunday's opening of the 11th season of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) at the Cebu Coliseum.   

The Webmaster had a four-point lead with 32 seconds to go before the end of regulation, 80-76.

USJ-R’s Jose Tabaloc cut that down to two points and UC got possession.

UC’s Gerald Ampoon, however, failed to control the leather and lost it on an errant pass with 18 seconds to go.

Rookie James Regalado sent the game into overtime when he scored with an undergoal stab off a missed attempt by a teammate that knotted the count at 80-all with just 1.6 seconds before the end of regulation.    

During the overtime period, the Webmasters found their bearings and outscored the Jaguars, 15-7 courtesy of the trio of June Mar Fajardo, Francis Luigi Bercede, and rookie Jan Michael Auditor.

Fajardo fired six points while Bercede added five and Auditor made 4 during that five-minute extension.

The Jaguars took the early control of the game and were up by five at the half, 40-35.

Krist Edward Pao's blunder almost cost UC the game when he was slapped with an unsportsmanlike foul against Jaguar Renato Abing with still 3:12 to go in the fourth period.     

Fajardo topscored for UC with 31 points while Pao and Auditor made 16 and 14 points, respectively.   

The Jaguars found a gem in point guard Medget dela Rama who scored 20 points. Regalado and Abulaiz Suliman made identical 15-point contributions.

This is the second straight year that the Jaguars lost their opening game.

After tonight's game, the Webmasters will take a long break as they will leave for Shenzhen, China tomorrow to see action in the 26th Universiade from August 10-23.

Quinton Brian Heruela will not yet suit up tonight as well as in China as he is stricken with chicken pox.

The scores:   

UC (Srs.) 95 - Fajardo 31, Pao 16, Auditor 14, Bercede 12, Ampoon 7, Caytuna 4, Labolabo 4, Mohammad 3, Aranas 2, Batino 2   

USJ-R (Srs.) 87 - Dela Rama 20, Regalado 15, Suliman 15, Abing 12, Olbedado 9, Tabaloc 6, Capillar 5, Nudalo 4, Sanchez 1 Halftime: 35-40 (FREEMAN)