UV upends SHS-Ateneo to grab 16-under crown

MANILA, Philippines - The University of the Visayas (UV) outlasted Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu 1, 69-61, to win the championship in the 16-under division of the ThreeSixty Pharmacy Cup 2012 at the City Sports Club Cebu over the weekend.

No Paul. No problem. Proving that they could win even without stay player Andres Paul Desiderio, the Baby Lancers played close to a perfect game in outclassing the Magis Eagles in every department.

Starting out hot and playing high percentage basketball, UV stormed into an 18-7 lead after one period as Dave Paon drilled in two triples and John Flores had eight points in spoiling SHS-AdC, which couldn’t find its rhythm through most of the game.

UV maintained its momentum in the second period with Gerald Fernandez taking over with 10 points as they outscored the Magis Eagles, 18-10, and put up a comfortable 36-17 lead at halftime.

Ralph Dinolan and Karl Katada joined the fray in the third quarter as they combined for 17 points as UV surged to take its biggest lead, 51-25. They closed the period with a 59-36 edge.

The Magis Eagles staged an 8-0 run to start the final period but UV found a reply in Dinolan and Fernandez. SHS-AdC cut the deficit to only eight, 60-68, on a triple by Eman Malazarte with 20 seconds left in the game, but that was the closest it could get.

Fernandez and Dinolan had 12 and 11 points, respectively, to lead a balanced attack that saw 13 players scoring for UV.

Malazarte paced SHS-AdC with 17 points, while Janjan Jaboneta added 15.

In the awarding ceremonies, ThreeSixty Pharmacy’s Chad Varquez praised both teams for giving it their all as he presented them with their trophies.

The championship was UV’s first in the U15 or Passerelle division in Cebu after two years of existence in the SBP and Passerelle age-groups.

In the other games, SHS-AdC team A grabbed second runner-up honors in the 13-under Division A when it nipped USC South-A, 30-29, in come-from-behind fashion.

Down by five at the break, 11-16, the Magis Eagles turned to the hot hands of Blas Bautista Jr., Earl Junco and Ian Amante in outscoring USC South, 15-9, in the third period to take a 26-25 lead going into the fourth.

The final canto turned into a defensive game with SHS-AdC just squeezing out enough for the win.

In the battle for 13-under Division B title, Sotero B. Cabahug Forum for Literacy topped USC South-B, 53-22. Don Bosco-B got back at UV-B, 37-24, to win the 16-under Division B crown.

In 19 Under games, USC/RDAK overcame Adgers Sportswear, 63-58, while the CVIRAA High School team debuted with a 70-28 thrashing of Symmetry Fitness Center/USJ-R.