Serbians rout UV Lancers in Universiade

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines absorbed another horrendous 44-125 setback to defending back-to-back champion Serbia in the second day of the basketball competitions in the 27th Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia Monday.

The Filipinos, built around members of nine-time Cebu champion University of the Visayas Lancers, proved no match for the streak-shooting Serbs, who broke away from a 24-15 lead in the first quarter for a 59-26 bulge at the break.

Led by a couple of seven-footers in Darko Balaban and Dorde Majstorovic, the Serbians never let up at resumption, outscoring their rivals, 29-10, in the third before unloading 37 final quarter points against the Filipinos’ measly eight-point output.

The Serbians held the Filipinos to just a single field goal in the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter for a whopping a 123-38 lead.  

Milos Dimic led Serbia with 22 points on a perfect 7-of-7 shooting, Dorde Denovas had 20 points, Dorde Gagic added 15 points and Nikola Markovic contributed 14 points.

John Abad topscored for the Lancers with eight points while Vincent Mendoza and Chris Perolino added seven markers apiece.