Lancers go for title clincher, Webmasters eye equalizer

CEBU, Philippines — After pulling off a nerve-racking victory in double-overtime thriller during the series opener, the three-time defending champions University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers will try to finish off the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters in Game 2 of the best-of-three Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) Season 25 college basketball finals today (Thursday, December 11) at the Cebu Coliseum.

Game time is set at 6 p.m.

Last Tuesday night, the Lancers went through two five-minute extensions before drawing first blood against the gritty Webmasters via a 74-72 cliffhanger.

Thanks to heroics of reigning MVP Raul Gentallan, whose pull-up jumper near the free-throw line with two seconds remaining in the second overtime pushed the Lancers a win away from completing a rare four-peat.

More to it, the Lancers are aiming for their seventh title in nine straight finals appearance by coach Gary Cortes and 17th overall since coach Elmer Boy Cabahug piloted the Visayanians to a record nine straight championships from the CESAFI s inaugural season in 2001 until 2009.

Apart from Cabahug and Cortes, Felix Donbel Belano, Jr. is the only other coach to have delivered a crown for the Lancers in 2013.

On the other hand, the Kernn Sesante-mentored Webmasters are expected to go all-out for the equalizer and keep their hopes of ending their 14-year title drought alive.

The Webmasters haven t tasted the sweet nectar of success since June Mar Fajardo powered his alma mater to back-to-back championships way back in the 2010 and 2011 seasons.