Warriors target win No.7 in rematch with Cobras

CEBU, Philippines - The streaking University of San Carlos Warriors seek a repeat performance against the Southwestern University Cobras, even as they also chase their seventh straight win in as many starts in the 15th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. men's basketball tournament today at the Cebu Coliseum.

Fresh from completing a clean 6-0 sweep in the first round of elimination, the Warriors hope to continue their fairytale run in an exciting rematch against the Cobras at 5:30 p.m.

The Warriors prevailed over the Cobras, 76-64, during their first meeting last August 2 and they are expected to affirm their dominance over the short-handed defending champion given their more cohesive and superior lineup.

The Warriors are seemingly invincible with the presence of a versatile Cameroonian reinforcement Shooster Olago. Not only a defensive monster, Olago can also deliver the goods when it mattered most specifically during their most latest 67-62 victory over the University of Cebu Webmasters.

Making the Warriors more formidable is the presence of deadly perimeter gunners and fearless penetrators in the mold of Ian Tagapan, Nico Magat, Ian Ortega, and Victor Rabat.

Add Fil-Australian William McAloney, Mavaerick Suarez and Dolan Adlawan at the post and the lightning-quick Giovanni Laguyo, Christian Maconocido and Keifer Lim at the backcourt, the Warriors are indeed a complete package.

The life for the Cobras, on the other hand, is a struggle each game playing without a foreign import that compounded their already depleted roster of only nine players.

While they posted three successive wins after that season-opening loss to the Warriors, the Cobras are obviously groping for form when ranged against a heavyweight opponent. They obvipously felt the ill effect fighting with a limited manpower in a 48-57 loss at the hands of the University of the Visayas Green Lancers.

Against the Warriors, the Cobras have another mountain to climb in their hopes to improve a 3-2 win-loss record. Their offense anchored on Mark Jayven Tallo, their heart and soul, has become more predictable, but it is obvious that their big fighting heart is what keeps them going.

Aside from Tallo, the Cobras could also count on Giovannie Luz, Jan Michael Auditor, Mark Racho, Jess Bautista, Melvin Holper and Anton Pardo.

Before the USC-SWU duel, the UV Green Lancers will take on the Cebu Institute of Technology-University Wildcats at 4:00 p.m. This will be their meeting this season as their August 2 meeting was cancelled and forfieted in favor of the Lancers for CIT-U's failure to submit on time the medical certificates of its players.

In the juniors division games, the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis will try to extend their hot streak to six games in a row as they go up against the UC Junior Webmasters at 2:30 p.m., while the University of San Jose-Recoletos Baby Jaguars aim to improve their 3-2 record as they battle the listless Don Bosco Technology Center Greywolves. (FREEMAN)