Mighty Sports/USJ-R stuns Worthy/UV to reach finals

CEBU, Philippines -  With their backs against the wall, the Mighty Sports/University of San Jose-Recoletos Jaguars gamely rose above the challenge and they did it in style.

Drawing stellar performances from Miguel Gastador, Ricky Peromingan and Jaybee Mantilla, the Jaguars downed the previously undefeated Worthy/University of the Visayas Green Lancers, 79-72, to barge into the finals of the 8th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) Partner's Cup last night at the Cebu Coliseum.

The Jaguars actually figured in a three-way tie with the Lancers and Phinma/Southwestern University Cobras, who also ended their semis campaign with a 2-1 win-loss record after crushing the Highlands Corned Beef/University of Cebu Webmasters in overtime, 86-79.

USJ-R and UV, however, arranged a championship date with each other courtesy of a superior tie-breaker applying the points differential system by FIBA. The Jaguars got the highest +5 points, the Lancers had +1, while the Cobras went -5 to drop into a third place battle with the Webmasters.

Gastador and Peromingan each fired 17 points and Mantilla chipped in 14 markers for the Jaguars, who lost an 18-point lead in 2:30 of the third period, 58-40, but kept their cool when it mattered to snap the Lancers' eight-game winning streak.

UV unleashed a fierce counter-attack to pull within just three points, 68-71, with still three minutes left to play but Edmond Bayhonan, Gastador and Mantilla scored on a six-point swing that gave the Jaguars a 77-68 breather while sending the Lancers wobbling the rest of the way.

Earlier, the Cobras had to overhaul a double-digit twice, the last was at 49-59 at the end of the third quarter, before

fending off the gritty Webmasters.

The Cobras were headed to an early victory with a 72-68 lead at the last minute of the regulation period, but Justine  Dacalos hit a crucial 3-pointer then scored on a hard drive to forge a 73-73 deadlock with only 11 seconds left, thus, the extension.

In the extra period, the Webmasters sprinted to a 79-76 edge with 2:41 remaining, but that proved to be their last hurrah as Mark Jayven Tallo and Mark Racho conspired in a 10-0 blitz to wrap up the match for the Cobras.

Prized catch Shaquille Imperial topscored with 23 points, while Bernie Bregondo and Tallo connived for 25 points for the Cobras. (FREEMAN)