SWU forges rubbermatch Game 5 'postponed' to Saturday, but UV will show up at the Coliseum today

CEBU, Philippines - The Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras wasted away twin-digit leads twice, but fought hard when it mattered most at crunchtime to turn back the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers, 68-64, and forge a deciding match in their best-of-five series for the 12th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) collegiate basketball crown at the Cebu Coliseum.

The deciding Game 5 is set for Saturday as announced by the table officials on orders of CESAFI commissioner Felix "Boy" O. Tiukinhoy, Jr. but expect the UV Lancers to be in full force at the playing venue today.

"UV objects to the postponement of the game. The schedule that was arranged before the start of the championship round calls for Game 5 to be played tomorrow, October 4, at 5:30 pm. The UV Green Lancers will be at the Coliseum ready to play tomorrow (today) as scheduled," said UV President and Cebu First District Rep. Eduardo "Eddiegul" R. Gullas.

"The CESAFI is not controlled by only one man and there is no Board resolution with regards to such postponement. We should play by the rules so expect us to be there at the playing court tomorrow (today)," added Gullas.

Tiukinhoy, in a text message sent late last night, said he will make a formal announcement on when Game 5 will be played in a press conference at 10:30 this morning at the USJ-R conference room.

 After losing a 14-point advantage, 19-33, late in the second quarter and again a dozen-point edge, 46-58, with only 18 seconds left in the third period, the Cobras survived another monumental collapse, interestingly, with a big help from their rival player in Hernal "Wowie" Escosio, whose horrendous free throw shooting spelled UV's doom.

Escosio, who had been largely criticized for his lackluster performance that ironically came after he was given the MVP award, shot a pitiful 1-of-10 from the stripe.

When the Lancers needed someone to cling to as they struggled hard to catch up with the Cobras, Escosio turned out to be a big disappoinment as he fired blanks from the foul line including two crucial attempts at the final 1:21 mark of the contest that could have turn things around for UV.

Trailing by 11 at the start of the final canto, 47-58, the Lancers staged a blistering 17-4 run capped by Jerome Silva's four consecutive hits from the charity lane that pushed them ahead by two, 64-62, with 2:07 left to play.

After a turnover by the Cobras, the Lancers could have padded their lead and complete their huge turnaround, but their hopes vanished in thin air when Escosio flubbed his charities off a foul by SWU's 6-foot-6 Cameroonian banger Benoit Mbala with 1:21 to go.  

Moments later, Escosio was whistled for a foul against Mbala, who then calmly cank his gift shots to knot the count at 64-all with 59 seconds remaining.

In the ensuing sequence, Silva was called for a traveling infraction, thus, setting up the stage for Bernie Bregondo's endgame heroics.

"I saw an opening in that particular instance and I have no other thing in mind than to drive past UV defenders. Luckily, the ball went in," said Bregondo, whose crucial basket off a barelling drive put the Cobras on top for good, 66-64, with 29 ticks left before the final buzzer.

The Lancers still had a chance to forge an overtime or even steal the win with a 3-pointer, but Eman Calo made an ill-advised attempt from beyond the arc that went airball.

In an attempt to buy time, the Lancers quickly fouled Monbert Arong, who then took it as a golden opportunity to offset his dismal showing in Game 3 where he was held scoreless in their 65-69 defeat. Arong calmly sank his pressure-packed charities that broke UV's backs with six seconds to go.

For SWU coach Raul "Yayoy" D. Alcoseba, their tying the series at two games apiece is a good indication that his wards have learned their lessons well after dropping two straight games they could have possibly won.

In the same breadth, however, Alcoseba said it was no reason for them to celebrate.

"We're happy to have tied the series but definitely it's no reason for us to celebrate," said Alcoseba after a post-game huddle with his players at their dugout. "What is important is that we learn from our mistakes. What we have now is that we did not give up. We did not quit. That has been my principal motivation to them."

When Justin Aboude went ice-cold on the offensive end, his tag parner Benoit Mbala stepped up bigtime with 23 points. Arong also rose to the occasion with 18 markers, including a crisp triple in a decisive opening assault that vaulted the Cobras to an early 12-2 lead.

After being down by as much as 14 points, the Lancers staged a courageous fightback to seize the upperhand, 39-38, only to falter in the end.

On a bad night he must forget, Escosio still paced the Lancers with 17 points followed by Calo with 13.

As judgment day beckons, possibly today, Escosio needs to conjure all skills and strength he could muster so as not to further subject himself into public ridicule for not dishing out an MVP-caliber performance in the entire series, even just for once. (FREEMAN)