UV wins Passerelle championship

CEBU, Philippines - The University of the Visayas (UV) Passerelle team made up for the earlier losses of its juniors and seniors teams in the CESAFI Finals by claiming the Passerelle division championship of the Milo-backed BEST Center SBP Passerelle Twin Tournament 2012 for Cebu.

Still reeling from its heart-breaking loss to Southwestern University in the CESAFI collegiate finals the night before, the Baby Lancers topped the University of San Carlos (USC), 62-56, last Sunday for its first ever Passerelle title in its three years of existence.

The win, though, didn’t come easy. After a hot start and taking a 23-9 lead after the first quarter, UV froze and was limited to a single point in the second quarter as USC rallied to cut the deficit to 24-23 at halftime. The champions recovered their bearing in the third quarter, with Jun Manzo pouring in eight points as UV took a 41-37 lead going into the payoff period that turned out to be tight and cardiac-like.

It was nip-and-tuck through the first eight minutes of the fourth period with USC repeatedly pouncing at UV’s slim lead but never making any headway until the final two minutes. Down 51-56, USC went to Paul Galinato and Carlo Ortega on a 5-0 run capped by Kurt Amores’s split charities with 2:02 left to finally tie the game at 56-all.

But just as the USC crowd erupted in cheers, Fredrick Pasturan quickly replied with a nifty side-step lay-up to give UV a 58-56 lead with 1:52 left. Tournament MVP Dave Cabanilla then added a free throw for a 59-56 lead with 1:31 left. Galinato had a chance to cut the lead to one with a trip to the line with 1:15 remaining, but missed both charities.

USC had another chance to score after UV was called for a 24-second shot clock violation, but couldn’t convert. Six missed free throws in the fourth period also didn’t help USC’s cause.

As USC fouled to stop the clock, Cabanilla added three more free throws for the final tally. Cabanilla led the UV attack with 20 points while Manzo added 10. Ortega led USC with 16 points, including 12 fourth quarter points in a heroic effort to keep USC in the game.

In the game for third place, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu vented its frustration from the semis loss to USC by beating Cebu Eastern College, 70-45. Janjan Jaboneta made up for his four-point performance in the semis by dominating with a game-high 19 points. Popoy Navarro added 10 in support. Cris Dominic Yap led CEC with 10.

UV, which entered the Passerelle scene in 2010 and was runner-up in 2011, will represent Cebu in the Visayas Regional Finals of the tournament to be hosted by Iloilo City on November 16-19.

They will face University of St. La Salle Bacolod, Ateneo de Iloilo and Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion of Roxas. USC had earlier won the SBP division crown and will go up against St. John’s Institute of Bacolod, Ateneo de Iloilo and College of St. John Roxas. (FREEMAN)