SHS-Ateneo, UV jrs. to dispute solo lead

CEBU, Philippines - The top-seeded Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles will stake their unbeaten record as they battle the second-ranked University of the Visayas Baby Lancers for the solo lead in the juniors division semifinals of the 14th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) men's basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum.

Though unscathed in 10 games so far, the Magis Eagles must still be wary and extra careful even if they won over the Baby Lancers during their first meeting in the elimination round that went down the wire. They pulled off a close 74-71 decision in their August 19 encounter that was decided only by lucky breaks.

The Magis Eagles and the Baby Lancers will head into their highly-anticipated semifinal showdown undefeated in two starts.

Already predicted to clash in the best-of-three finals starting in the first week of October, the Magis Eagles will once again rely on the vaunted troika of Janjan Jaboneta, Nino Araw-araw, and Joseph Mayol. They also have a bunch of talents who can score from both the inside and outside in the likes of Jose Pierro Dominic Longa, Zachary Lance Eden Huang, Joshua Sinclair, Kevin Brian Johnson, Steven Co, Andrew Velasco and Alex Roeland Visser.

SHS-Ateneo's hulking center Adrison Gaviola, who have been rested for the first two semifinal games due to a bruised knee, will return today to boost their offense at the post.

For the Baby Lancers, they can count on the ever reliable tandem of John Carl Escalona and Orlan Wamar. They also have the sweet-shooting big man Theo Joshua Flores, Raul Jancork Cabahug and Samuel Schaub to complete their solid starting unit.

Earlier this afternoon, the fourth-ranked Cebu Institute of Technology-University Wildkittens and No.6 qualifier University of Southern Philippines-Foundation Baby Panthers shoot for their first semis win.

The Wildkittens will heavily depend on their leading scorer Justin Jules Langres with the support of Jasper Berezo, Joshua Philip Manatad, Jeroel Pedrosa and Kevin Plaza, while the Baby Panthers are still not losing hopes on their six-man rotation in John Alocillo, Cylde Drexley Avancena, Dennis Archival, John Brylle Bahio, Carl Carbajosa and the unpredictable but highly explosive shooter Ain Obenza.

Obenza's best showing of the season was when he led the Baby Panthers in ousting the twice-to-beat University of San Carlos Baby Warriors with an average of 20.5 points per game in those twin victories.(GGM) (FREEMAN)