UV wins championship, USC is 2nd

ROXAS City, Philippines – The Cebu teams went 1-for-2 at the Visayas Regional Finals of the 2014 BEST SBP Passerelle Twin Tournament 2014 sponsored by Milo. The University of the Visayas trounced Hua Siong College of Iloilo, 57-35, to win the championship of the Passerelle division, while USC bowed to Ateneo de Iloilo in a tight game where Ateneo came from behind to nip USC, 44-42.

UV decided the outcome in the second quarter and never looked back. After protecting a 14-9 lead after one period, Denzel Sabroso exploded for all 12 points in a 12-2 run that gave UV a commanding 29-11 lead at halftime, a lead that Hua Siong wasn’t able to solve for the rest of the game. Sabroso had two triples in the quarter while Michael Ray Carel added another for the big scoring splurge.

John Igot, John Paquibut, Christian Dado and Kint Ariar then combined to pad the lead in the third quarter, 39-18. It was cruise control from then on as the UV full-court trap snuffed Hua Siong’s ball carriers causing many turnovers in the backcourt. It was UV’s best game of the tournament that was highlighted by excellent defense, patience with their halfcourt offense via a dizzying ball rotation, and a perfect mix of inside-outside scoring. Sabroso, who added two more triples in the fourth quarter, led UV with a game-high 18 points while John Kirck Gonzaga added nine. UV made a total of nine triples in the game. Leonell Almacell led Hua Siong with 11.

In the Small Basketeers Philippines (SBP) division title game, it was yet another heart-breaker for USC as they succumbed to a furious end-game rally of Ateneo de Iloilo. Everything was looking good for USC as they took a 21-11 lead after the first period with Brandon Largo pouring in 13 points. USC built a 30-19 lead at halftime but would score only two points in the third quarter for a 32-22 lead going in to the final quarter.

Ateneo’s inside-outside duo of Ian Espinosa and power forward Gem Gregorio then worked on slowly but surely chipping away at the USC lead. Down 38-28, Espinosa orchestrated a 10-0 run to tie the game at 38-all with 2:51 left in the game. Saymun Mateo gave Ateneo a 40-38 lead at the two minute mark but Justin Atilano would tie the game for USC at 40-all with 1:27 left, and then score again for a 42-40 USC lead with 1:34 ticks remaining. Things were looking bright for USC as Mateo and Gregorio missed two free throws each for Ateneo, the last pair with 46 seconds left. But Espinosa, who was the shortest on the floor in the fourth period, stood tall, tying the game at 42-all with a nifty drive, 26 seconds left.

Then after a mad scramble for the loose ball, Espinosa found Gregorio anew for a lay-up and a 44-42 lead with 10.6 seconds left. USC sued for time and mapped out a play to tie the game. But while a play was executed, Justin Atilano’s floater lipped the rim before falling to the waiting hands of yet another mad fight for the rebound. Gem Gregorio led Ateneo de Iloilo with 15 points, while Espinosa added 10 on top of his timely assists. Largo led USC with 13 as Atilano had 12.

In the games for third place of the SBP division, St. John’s Institute ousted Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion of Roxas City, 47-22. University of St. La Salle of Bacolod trounced Purisima, 73-32, in the game for third place of the Passerelle division. UV and Ateneo de Iloilo will now represent the Visayas at the national finals December 13-14 at the Magis Eagles Arena at the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu. (FREEMAN)