SHS-Adc Eagles eye sweep in high school finals
By Rommel C. Manlosa
Thursday, September 27, 2012
WITH its backs against the wall, the defending champions University of the Visayas Baby Lancers badly needed to rebound harder as they faces the red-hot Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles in Game 3 of the best-of-5 championship series for the High School Division title of the 2012 Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) Basketball tournament at the University of San Carlos Gym.
It was only early yesterday morning that commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy Jr. announced the change of venue since the tournament’s regular home—the Cebu Coliseum-—is not available today.
The change of venue could work for the Baby Lancers’ way as the game is now closer to the school.
However, they need more than just support in order to avoid getting swept by the determined Eagles.
So far, SHS-AdC dominated all their four elimination round encounters over UV and the last time they met at USC gym last Aug. 30, the Eagles handed the Baby Lancers their first defeat, 97-82. They followed it with a 96-81 semifinal mastery last Sept. 16, before taking Game 1, 80-76, and Game 2, 96-82, in the final series.
In all of those losses, UV played like there was only Andres Paul Desiderio in the team and not even the other players who usually contribute heavily in the Baby Lancers’ victories stepped up.
One of the problems coach Delfin Pepito Jr. has to address immediately is to neutralize the full court pressure game of the Eagles.
His counterpart at the other bench, Rommel Rasmo, seemed to inspire a lot of energy on his players who are tireless in chasing every ball handler of the Baby Lancers.
UV too must learn to deal with Dawn Henric Ochea, Fletcher Criss Galvez and Felixberto Jaboneta IV in the middle, while making sure deadly shooters Arc Gabrielle Araw-Araw and Rendell Senining won’t find their groove.
In order to survive the lethal attacks of the Eagles, UV has to play smart basketball, play defense and find help for Desiderio.
Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on September 28, 2012.
[B]
ONE BIG FIGHT!
We want a SWEEP!
We want an UNDEFEATED season!
ONE BIG FIGHT MAGIS EAGLES![/B]