Lancers decimate Panthers Go 4-0 in CESAFI; Magis Eagles, Baby Warriors also stay unbeaten

CEBU, Philippines – The University of the Visayas Green Lancers held virtual clinic in a 97-56 massacre of the hapless University of Southern Philippines Foundation Panthers in the 15th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. men's basketball tournament last night at the Cebu Coliseum.

The outcome of the match was already beyond question when the Lancers raced to a 36-10 start, thanks to Leonard Santillan, Steve Cedrick Akomo and Franz Arong for stoking UV's early offensive fire that kept on burning until the final buzzer.

Leading by a mile, coach Gary Cortes had the luxury of fielding in his second stringers in the second quarter. There was no problem at all as the Lancers even padded their lead to 35 points, on JV Veloso's four-point swing with 2:55 left before halftime.

Though victory was already at the palm of their hands, the Lancers spared no mercy to their struggling rivals by unloading a 10-0 blast to establish their biggest lead at 43 points, 87-44, with just two minutes gone by in the final period.

All 14 players summoned by coach Cortes from their bench hit the scoring chart led by Arong with 14 points.

Alwyn Aguirre and Akomo finished with 13 and 12 points, respectively, as the Lancers notched their fourth straight win in by far the most lopsided decision in the collegiate division this season. The Panthers, who never knew what hit them from the start, crashed to their fourth loss in a row.

In the juniors play, the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles and the University of San Carlos Baby Warriors kept their clean slates intact.

Travis Mantua had 14 points laced with a 'Triple 4' (rebounds, steals and assists), while Eroll Pastor netted a dozen markers as the Magis Eagles made it a perfect 4-0 with a 69-38 blowout of the Don Bosco Technology Center Greywolves, while the Baby Warriors overcame a daring endgame fightback by the Cebu Eastern College Dragons to eke out a 57-49 win, their third straight in as many starts.

The Dragons dropped to 1-3, while the Greywolves slumped to a woeful 0-5 start. (FREEMAN)