Personifying Visayanian spirit

In going through every obstacle in life, it depends on the way someone views it – either a stumble block or a stepping stone.

In the case of the University of the Visayas Baby Lancers, they pick the latter.

Fighting with only five players in tow, the Baby Lancers showed great fighting heart in trouncing the University of Cebu Junior Webmasters, 94-83, in the opener of their best-of-three finals series in the 1st Mayor Techei Sitoy-Cho CESAFI Pre-season games last Saturday night at the Cordova Sports Complex in Cordova, Cebu.

The Baby Lancers were still slugging it out with the UC juniors with the sparkling crown in their minds in Game 2 as of this writing last night, but they already felt like champions with their unbelievable win in the series opener.

The UV side was left with only five crew as 11 of its players were suspended and fined P5,000 each in the aftermath of their bench-clearing scuffle with the Don Bosco Greywolves last week. The same number of Don Bosco cagers were also banned resulting to a total of P110,000 in fines, the biggest ever in CESAFI history.

Left with only five players, the Baby Lancers personified the already tested Visayanian spirit of fighting at their best when the odds are greatest.

The Junior Webmasters did everything they can to dampen the spirits of their short-handed foes most notably their full-court trapping defense and physical, but the Baby Lancers were just too determined to overcome the odds.

Thanks to UV's fighting five in Beirn Anthony Laurente, Justine Jake Rosete, Joshua Yerro, Ivan Jay Maata and Froiland Maglasang. Yerro and Rosete topscored with 24 and 21 points, respectively, but it was their strong will to win that spelled big difference.

"I want my players to prove that despite the punishment they got, they can always rise above the challenge and play with their hearts out," said Baby Lancers coach Abel Bungcaras in vernacular during a phone interview. "I really did not expect them to win that way. I just told them before the start of the game to give their best and if we lose, it should not be by a wide margin."

What's in the mind of Bungcaras turned out to be other way as the game unfolded.

The Baby Lancers easily wiped out an early 10-point deficit to plow ahead by eight after three quarters, 70-62.

UC threatened for the last time at 68-72 with 2:38 left to play as the Lancers, though physically battered and bruised, played it cool until the dying seconds to fluster the Junior Webmasters at the final buzzer.

"Having only five players the entire game in basketball is tough, much more against a very aggressive opponent," said Bungcaras. "But I admire my boys for their courage and big fighting hearts. No matter what happens in the entire finals series, they have already proven something and that's what matters most for us," said Bungcaras.

When sought for comment, UV Basketball team manager Gerald Anthony 'Samsam' Gullas Jr. said the Baby Lancers are stepping in the right direction following their tumultuous match against the Greywolves.

"But they still have to make up for their actions during their past game (versus Don Bosco). Let's see how they will do in the CESAFI. That is their true test," said Gullas.