Happy birthday for SuerteSinks game-winning triples as UV downs USC in CESAFI thriller

CEBU, Philippines — It was indeed a happy birthday for Rey Anthony Suerte.

In what is by far the most brilliant performance of his sparkling career, Suerte dropped 29 points spotlighted by two consecutive 3-pointers in the final 11 seconds of the contest, the last with only four-tenths of a second left to play to lift the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers to a dramatic 81-78 win over the gritty University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors in the 18th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) men's basketball tournament.

Reminiscent of their previous encounter, the match was so close from start to end that it drew a thunderous applause from the thrilled and highly entertained crowd last night at the Cebu Coliseum.

Suerte, who shot  6-of-9 from the beyond the arc and missed only one of his nine free throws, also had five rebounds and as many assists but it was his amazing 3-point sniping that sealed what a show to remember he delivered on the very day he turned 24 years old.

"Dili gyud ko makatoo nga ako tong nahimo (I just can't believe that I did it)," said Suerte, whose endgame heroics nearly rendered him speechless in the midst of frenzied celebration of his teammates and their small throng of fans.

After USC's John Reel Saycon sank a triple to tie the count at 75-all with only 34 seconds to go, Suerte canned a buzzing-beating trey to put UV on top again, 78-75, with only 11 seconds left to go.

Just when everybody thought the game was headed into overtime after Saycon drilled in another tomahawk from the 3-point land that knotted the count again at 78-all with four ticks remaining,  Suerte showed nerves of steel to come up with a shot he will surely remember for the rest of his lifetime.

After receiving the inbound pass from team captain Josue Segumpan, the league's 2017 Most Valuable Player Suerte took a few dribbles before calmly flicking a 3-pointer.

The ball perfectly arched while in mid-air flight before it gently swished through the net with only four-tenths of a second left in the game clock, causing the entire UV bench led by coach Gary Cortes to leap for joy and the Warriors shocked in disbelief.

Gileant Delator and Liberian import Bassieru Sackor also deserved a hearty pat on their backs as they have contributed significantly as the Lancers stayed perfect in five games in the second round of elimination.

Delator, who sparked UV's second-half fightback, finished with 16 points, six steals, five rebounds and three assists. Sackor also had 16 points on top of 11 rebounds, four assists and two blocks as the Lancers bolstered their bid to claim the No.2 spot and a twice-to-beat edge in the semifinals with an improved 8-3 win-loss mark.

Somtochuklu Managor scattered 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Saycon came through with 20 points, seven rebounds and seven steals but their efforts went for naught as the Warriors dropped to 4-7, putting their semis campaign in jeopardy.