UV fires back at SWU to forge rubbermatch

CEBU, Philippines - The University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers played cool under heavy fire to snap out of their two-game losing spell to the Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras, 73-67, and forge a rubbermatch for the second finals slot in the collegiate division of the 11th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) basketball season last Thursday night at the Cebu Coliseum.

The Lancers used a 15-2 blast to erase a 21-33 deficit and turned it into a momentum-building 43-38 lead at halftime. They posted their biggest lead though at eight points, 48-40, on a three-point play by Jerome Silva with just two minutes gone by in the third canto.

The gritty Cobras fired back with seven straight points to pull within a hairline, 47-48, on a basket by Bonifacio Guillena, Jr. with 4:47 remaining in the third.

Moments later, 6-foot-6 Cameroonian Justin Aboude spearhead another sizzling run by the Cobras as they regained the driver's seat, 53-51, heading into the final 12-minute zone of the contest.

It was in the last quarter that the Lancers showed their grit and true character as champions as they settled down offensively while making crucial defensive stops.

Diminutive but elusive playmaker John Michael Abad turned out to be brightest UV star finishing with 18 points.

The Cobras seemed to have been going for an early kill only to show they are too brittle come endgame. They suffered a monumental collapse when Guillena fouled out with 6:33 to go in the game.

Compounding SWU's woes was top gunner Eleazar Armecin, who struggeld on the offensive end scoring only nine points.

Power forward Rene Jun Sayson hit a triple that put the Lancers on top, 59-56, with 5:58 left to play. After Aboude brought the Cobras back in contention, 61-63, the Lancers made a 7-2 run to regain a seven-point edge, 70-63. The rest was history.

Silva, one of the remnants of the UV champion team in 2009, added 14 points, while veteran sentinel Harold Cincoflores chipped in 10 markers.

The Cobras, who will take another shot at the finals against UV on Tuesday, were led by Aboude with 17 points even as Guillena and Rene Pacquiao banged in 14 and 10 points, respectively.

The Cobras swept the Lancers in two elimination round games - a 64-56 conquest on August 20 and a 71-69 escape last October 9.

The scores

UV (73) - Abad 18, Silva 14, Cincoflores 10, Sayson 9, Lao 8, Avillanoza 5, Mercader 5

SWU (67) - Aboude 17, Guillena 14, Pacquiao 10, Armecin 9, Ortuyo 8,Nalos 7, Arong 2, Bregondo 2 Halftime: 43-38

Quarterscores: 14-24;43-38;51-53;73-67. - THE FREEMAN