Warriors eye share of lead; Cobras gun for first victory

CEBU, Philippines - The University of San Carlos Warriors gun for a share of lead, while defending champion Southwestern University Cobras target their first win as they take on separate foes today in the 15th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) men's basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum.

The Warriors  will battle against the University of Cebu Webmasters at 4 p.m., right before the Cobras take on the Cebu Institute of Technology-University Wildcats in the main game of a heavy quadruple-header at 5:30 p.m.

In the juniors play, the Cebu Eastern College Dragons aim for back-to-back victories as they collide with the Don Bosco Greywolves in the 1 p.m. opener, while the University of the Visayas Baby Lancers open their campaign against University of San Jose-Recoletos Baby Jaguars at 2:30 p.m.

In a rematch of last year's finals, the Warriors slammed the undermanned Cobras, 76-64, to  certify their status as the strongest title challenger in the collegiate division.

With the vastly improved Cameroonian tower Shooster Olago back to reinforce the team, one could only look at the Warriors' roster this season with envy, having still their old reliables in the mold of Victor  Manuel Rabat, Charles Pepito, Nico Magat, Kiefer Lim, and Ian Tagapan.

The return of Cesar Ian Ortega is an added striking force for the solid USC crew, while the presence of Giovanni Laguyo and Christian Maconodico definitely added depth to the backcourt rotation of coach Britt Reroma.

Against the smaller Webmasters who are without an import ever since, the Warriors are a shoo-in to nail win No.2 and a share of the lead with the UV Lancers, tipped as their fiercest rivals.

The Webmasters, toting a 1-1 win-loss record, could only hope that their pressure defense and running game will work effectively just the way they did in an 81-69 triumph over the returning University of Southern Philippines Foundation Panthers.

Expected t anchor UC's offense are Melvin Butohan,  Justine Dacalos, Clint Suelto, Joseph Mayol, Filvenson Culango, John Calvin Jabello, and Joven Taguding among others.

The Cobras, on the other hand, are aching to bounce back from a previous setback. But then again, they have to deal with an unfamiliar situation of fighting sans a reinforcement compounded by a smaller roster of only nine players.

What the Cobras are capable of doing given that handicap will be known further when they face the Wildcats, whose first assignment against UV was forfeited for their failure to submit on time the ECG medical certificates of their players.

Led by star playmer Mark Jayven Tallo, coach Raul 'Yayoy' D. Alcoseba could also lean on Giovanie Luz, Jan Michael Auditor, Anton Pardo, Melvin Holper and Jesse Bautista to deliver the goods for the Cobras.

The Wildcats, on the other hand, pin their hopes on their veterans players that include Joshua Romelle de la Cerna, Jeffrey Taghoy, Mark Kong and Jose Allan Dimco. (FREEMAN)