UV overthrows SHS-Ateneo

CEBU, Philippines — After ending the five-year reign of the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) last season, the University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers struck hard against their bitter rivals again.

This time, in the National Basketball Training Center (NBTC).

The Baby Lancers blew hot and cold but overcame a daring endgame fightback by the Magis Eagles to pull off a pulsating 92-83 win and clinch the Division One championship of the SM-NBTC Cebu leg at the full-packed Talisay City Sports Complex yesterday.

Aside from bagging their first NBTC crown, the Baby Lancers also ended the seven-year domination of the Magis Eagles in the annual league that gives young cagers an opportunity to showcase their skills on a countrywide stage.

“It always feels great to win a championship especially that this is our first in the NBTC,” said UV coach Gerald Ylaya. “I’d like to give the credit to our players for playing their hearts out on both ends of the court.”

Jhiey Paraldo topped UV with 17 points laced with six rebounds and two steals, but it was Joshua Yerro who lifted the Finals MVP trophy after producing 13 points, four rebounds and three assists.

Among the Baby Lancers who put on a show though, Steve Nash Enriquez caught the fancy of the crowd for his excellent quarterbacking skills, well-calculated passing and shooting proficiency.

Enriquez went on to finish with 15 points, while Jaerolan Omandac chipped in 11 markers for the Baby Lancers, who sprinted to a blistering 14-3 start.

The Magis Eagles quickly crept back within just two points, 17-19, but the Baby Lancers launched their second wave of attack, 27-8, to mount a commanding 46-26 lead with less than two minutes into halftime.

The Baby Lancers enjoyed their largest advantage at 22 points, 75-53, at the final 8:11 mark of the contest.

Flashing a never-say-die-spirit, the Magis Eagles put up one gallant stand behind the efforts of Patrick Yu, Franz Diaz and Alex Visser to seriously threaten the Baby Lancers, 78-85, with still 1:36 left to play.

The Magis Eagles could have even gotten closer but Visser and Jed Colonia missed close-range shots in succession that shattered their comeback hopes.

Yerro, Enriquez, Roosevelt Jelianggao and Jim Paul Amistoso then went 7-of-8 from the foul line in the final 40 seconds to evacuate the Baby Lancers safely to their ground-breaking victory.

Visser chalked up 15 points, while Yu, Diaz and Colonia dished out 14 points each for the Magis Eagles. Despite their gut-wrenching loss, they will still be joining the Baby Lancers in the NBTC National Finals next month in Manila.

Earlier, James Paolo Gica hit a medium-range jumper with 1.7 seconds left in the game as the Center for International Education (CIE) Lions dethroned the PAREF-Springdale Titans, 56-54, to bag the Division 2 title.

Gica ended up with 15 points, seven rebounds, and three assists to romp off with the MVP award. (FREEMAN)