CEBU, Philippines - Two-time defending champions Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles and the Don Bosco Greywolves went through separate routes before keeping their unbeaten records intact in the juniors division of the 16th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. men's basketball tournament yesterday at the Cebu Coliseum.
The Magis Eagles, chasing after a historic grandslam feat, hardly broke a sweat in a 82-36 demolition of the lowly Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildkittens, while the Greywolves fought with their hearts out to pull off a 76-74 shocker over the University of the Visayas Baby Lancers.
Koko Tuadles finished with 15 points and Jed Colonia had 10 for the Magis Eagles, who again flashed the meaning of teamwork in their 46-point blowout of the listless Wildkittens.
After a blistering 27-12 start, the Magis Eagles piled points after points in a lopsided encounter that saw the Wildkittens groping for form the entire game.
The Magis Eagles now share the temporary lead with the Greywolves, who coasted to their best ever 2-0 start after stunning the Baby Lancers.
Down by eight points midway in the fourth period, 60-68, the Greywolves showed nerves of steel in staging a Houdini-like escape en route to a breakthrough win over the Baby Lancers.
Behind the efforts of Alje Mendez, Ken Gato, John Michael de la Torre and Geo Ibero, the Greywolves seized the upperhand, 73-72, on an 11-2 blitz with less than two minutes left to play.
A layup by Jake Rosete put the Baby Lancers back on top, 74-73, but lady luck still smiled at the Greywolves as Mendez scored on a put-back off a miss by Gato to pull the Greywolves ahead again, 75-74, with only 14 seconds to play.
After the two sides swapped turnovers that culminated with Gato missing crucial packed free throws, the Baby Lancers had a chance to wrap up the match but Froiland Maglasang committed a costly error during an inbound play with 10.8 ticks to go.
In the ensuing play, Ibero, who was quickly fouled by UV in an effort to buy time with 2.4 points remaining, split his charities but it was more than enough to settle the outcome for the Greywolves.
The Baby Lancers actually had a chance to forge an overtime but Maglasang botched a running jumper at the final buzzer.
Mendez paced the Greywolves with 17 points, while de la Torre and Gato had 11 points apiece. Jancork Cabahug and Maglasang nailed 15 and 14 markers, respectively, in a losing effort for the Visayanians. (FREEMAN)