UV humbles SHS-Ateneo in Game 1 of NBTC finals

It was another Game One de ja vu for the University of the Visayas and Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu. In what seemed to be a replay of last year’s NBTC Cebu Finals, UV surprised SHS-Ateneo de Cebu, 82-80, to take Game One of the National Basketball Training Center Cebu Finals at the Capitol Parish Gym yesterday. They had also taken Game One last year, but bowed in Games Two and Three, but promise that this year will be different.

Trailing all the way throughout the game, the Baby Lancers proved to be hungrier and steadier in the clutch, slowly but surely climbing its way back from as much as a 19-point deficit (37-56) to score the confidence-building victory. Down 66-77 midway through the fourth quarter, UV awakened and shut down the Magis Eagles, tying the game at 77-all with three minutes left in the game courtesy of Jancork Cabahug.

After Jeremy Nacua split his charities for a 78-77 SHS-Ateneo lead, Jhiey Paraldo scored for a 79-78 UV lead with 2:07 remaining. Cabahug scored again to give the lead at 81-78 with 1:30 left but it wasn’t over. Jed Colonia made two free throws to slice the UV lead to 81-80, 42 seconds left, then Froiland Maglasang countered with a free throw for the final tally, 15 ticks left.

The defending champions had one last chance to tie the game when Alex Visser went to the free throw line with 1.4 seconds left after being fouled in a rebounding battle. He missed both charities and sealed the win for UV.

Cabahug led UV with 26 points including nine in the fourth quarter. JJ Rosete added 12 while Beirn Laurente had 10.

Andrew Velasco, who had to leave the game in the third quarter after a bad fall off a UV defender, led SHS-Ateneo with 26 points. Travis Mantua chipped in 13 while Nacua scored 12.

Game Two will be played at 2:30pm today at the Minglanilla Sports Complex after the NBTC Division 2 title game between PAREF Springdale and St. Louis College-Cebu.

The game followed the same pattern as last year’s Game One that saw the Baby Lancers defeat SHS-Ateneo at the latter’s homecourt at the Magis Eagles Arena. In a game where the hungrier team won, UV made the clutch baskets and defensive stops while SHS-Ateneo deviated from their game plan and fired blanks from both the field and the free throw line.

UV will now need to forget the ghost of last year’s debacle and find a way to sweep the Magis Eagles today. A UV loss will give the momentum back to the pre-tournament favorites.

For the Magis Eagles who lost their first game of the tournament, it’s back to the drawing boards to execute what they’ve done in all their wins which were dominating and practically one-sided. If they want a true de ja vu, they must win Game Two and force a rubber match today.

Will a one night break be enough for the Magis Eagles to recover? Or will it serve as a perfect momentum-builder for a UV championship? The Minglanilla Sports Complex will be the place to be today with the students of Sisters of Mary Boystown serving as special guest spectators along with Cong. Gerald Anthony “Samsam” Gullas.