SWU closes in on CESAFI title

CEBU, Philippines - The Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras dropped a devastating 15-0 bomb in the third quarter to decimate the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers for the fifth time in a row this season, 73-60, and take a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-five finals series for the 13th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) men’s basketball crown last night at the Cebu Coliseum.

After a sub-par performance in their 65-52 win during the series opener last Thursday, ‘King Cobra’ Landry Sanjo and SWU’s deadly one-two punch of Monbert Arong and Mark Jayven Tallo turned in big numbers this time as the Cobras extended their unbeaten streak to 14 games while moving just one step away from defending the throne they claimed after taming the same rivals last season.

Sanjo  muscled his way to a monster double-double show of 20 points and 18 rebounds spiked with three blocks, Arong netted 16 points, three assists, two rebounds and as many steals, while Tallo chipped in 10 points, eight rebounds and four assists for the Cobras, who could wrap up their first ever back-to-back championships since they rejoined the league in 2006 with another win over the Lancers tomorrow.  

The Lancers, all sporting a skinhead hairdo with hopes of breaking their jinx over Southwestern U this year, marched into the battlefield fully-armed, but their ammunition was good only for two quarters and a half.

The last time UV was in fighting mood was at 41-43 midway in the third as the Cobras whipped up a furious 15-0 run capped by a 3-pointer by Tallo that handed them a comfortable 17-point advantage, 58-41, with 1:24 left in that stretch.

During that SWU’s game-ripping rally, UV was dealt with another crushing blow after its top wingman Francisco Arong was ejected from the game for committing a disqualifying foul against Monbert Arong at the 2:14 mark of that period.

The Lancers were never the same again from there onwards. The closest they could come was at 60-67 as Sanjo banked in four straight points to give the Cobras a 71-60 breather with only 1:31 left to play. Tallo then scored on a buzzer-beating layup to settle the final tally.

Unlike in their past encounters, the Lancers were completely outclassed by the Cobras on all fronts last night. While the Cobras shot a modest 19-of-27 from the foul line, the Lancers again fared miserably in that area, converting only 15 out of 27 attempts from the stripe.

John Abad was the lone double-digit scorer for UV with 16 points as SWU’s stifling defense succeeded in clamping down Mike Harry Nzeusseu to only nine points.

Reigning MVP Wowie Escocio still couldn’t wake up from deep offensive slumber, finishing with only seven points, while the likes of Chris Perolino and Raffy Octobre were nowehere to be found in the Lancers’ scoring chart. Franz Arong did score two, but the bad news is that will miss this Sunday’s crucial Game 3 where the Lancers fight for dear life and avoid an embarrassing 0-3 sweep, something that UV has had never tasted in its colorful basketball history that dated back in the late ’30s when the school was then known as the Visayan Institute.

Earlier, the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars pulled off a nerve-wracking 76-75 victory over the University of San Carlos

(USC) Warriors to forge a deciding match in their race-to-2 duel to the third place trophy. (FREEMAN)