UV stays alive in BEST regional finals

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – The University of the Visayas lived for another day as they stunned St. John’s Institute of Bacolod, 43-30, in an SBP division game at the Visayas Regional Finals of the BEST Center SBP Passerelle Twin Tournament backed by Milo at the St. La Salle Coliseum here. The win levels their record to 1-1, and a win over Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion of Roxas in their next game will earn them a slot in the SBP championship game.

Christian Alilin took charge for UV in the second quarter to lead the team to the win over the taller and bigger SBP champions from Bacolod. After a 9-4 lead at the end of the first quarter, Alilin drilled in 15 points anchored on four triples to give UV a 25-10 halftime lead. UV held SJI to only one point in the quarter.

SJI rallied to cut the deficit to 21-29 after limiting UV to four points. An Alilin triple then launched a 14-2 run for a 43-23 UV lead in the fourth quarter to seal the win. Mart Tigmo drilled two triples in the run. Alilin led UV with 18 points. Karl Gamboa and Enrique Go led SJI with seven points each.

In the other SBP game, Ateneo de Iloilo thumped Colegio de la Purisima Concepcion of Roxas, 40-25, to grab solo leadership with a 2-0 record. If UV wins over Purisima, SJI needs to beat Ateneo de Iloilo to create a three-way tie for first place in the standings. The tiebreaker will be applied to determine who will play in the championship game.

In the Passerelle division, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu bowed out of the race for the championship after losing its second straight game, 60-64 to Bacolod Tay Tung High School. The Magis Eagles had a good start, taking a 15-9 lead after one quarter. Tay Tung recovered to take a 28-27 halftime lead and a 46-40 lead after the third quarter. SHS-Ateneo then staged an end game rally for a wild and wooly finish.

Trailing for all of the fourth period, Andre Chua hit a clutch triple to give the Cebu champions a 60-58 lead with 45 seconds left in the game. But Ralph Cagalanan drilled a triple for a 61-60 Tay Tung lead with 27 seconds left. After Cagalanan added a free throw for a 62-60 lead with 18 seconds left, SHS-Ateneo committed a series of three turnovers due to bad passes.

Fritz Tagamolila and Francisco Jubelig led Tay Tung with 14 points each. Koko Tuadles led SHS-Ateneo with 12.

In the other Passerelle game, Sun Yat Sen (2-0) trashed College of St. John’s Roxas (0-2), 77-38, to arrange a title showdown with Tay Tung (2-0). (FREEMAN)