UV Lancers, UC Webmasters cruise to 2-0 starts in CESAFI

CEBU, Philippines — The three-time defending champions University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers and their fiercest rivals University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters notched back-to-back wins in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) Season 25 basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum over the weekend.

The Lancers lost a double-digit edge in the final five minutes but held their ground under a spirited endgame resistance by the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars to escape with a 66-62 victory.

UV enjoyed an 11-point lead, 60-49, when the Jaguars staged a 10-0 blitz to pull within just a hairline, 60-59, on a layup by Fritz Gonzales with 1:16 left to play.

But Paul John Taliman and Kent Ivo Salarda hit crucial baskets in succession before Zyle Cabellon and Raul Gentallan made two free throws in the final 14 seconds to seal the deal for the Lancers.

Gentallan paced the Lancers with 16 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal.

Christian Carl Sollano posted a double-double of 13 points and 14 rebounds while Gonzales added 12 points, two rebounds and two assists but to no avail as the Jaguars stumbled for the second time in a row.

On the other hand, the Webmasters used an explosive 18-2 start to trounce the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors, 55-42.

The Warriors crept back to within five points, 40-45, but the Webmasters outclassed the Warriors, 10-2, in the last five-minute zone of the contest.

No UC player cracked double figures but their balanced offensive performance effort carried them to another triumph.

Kyle Maglinte finished with 14 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals while Emmanuel Akut had 12 points, two rebounds, and a steal but their efforts proved futile as the Warriors tasted their first loss.

  In high school play, Carl Jacob Cortes fired 25 points on top of two rebounds, three assists and a steal as the UV Baby Lancers pounded the San Carlos School of Cebu (SCSC) Baby Warriors, 82-64, for a rousing 2-0 start.

AJ Ejurango produced a double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds with five assists and four blocks while Lylco Ventura cashed in 10 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block for the Baby Lancers, who kept the Baby Warriors at bay since opening the match with a 24-9 bang.

The Baby Lancers sustained their hot charge to lead by as much as 26 points, 52-26, early in the third quarter.

Neil Ashley Ibarita came up with 19 points, four rebounds, two assists, and six steals while Brad Miguel Yu scattered 16 points, three rebounds, three assists and four steals but they both went home on a pensive mood as the Baby Warriors crashed to another stinging defeat.

In the other result, Goeffe Von Partosa delivered an all-around show of 16 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, and seven steals as the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Baby Wildcats dominated the UC Baby Webmasters, 79-67. 

Randel Jay Mendartos tossed in 12 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block while Cyrus Joeff Abadies contributed 10 points and two steals for the Baby Wildcats, who at one point led by 19 points, 62-43, late in the third period.