UV Lancers outlast Jaguars to grab solo lead in CESAFI
By Gabby G. Malagar (The Freeman) Updated August 20, 2012 12:00 AM Comments (0)
CEBU, Philippines - The University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers showed what it takes to have a great height advantage as they cruised to an 89-76 victory over the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars to grab the solo lead with an immaculate 4-0 slate in the 12th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) basketball season at the Cebu Coliseum.
The Lancers were leading by 12 points, 81-69, at the final 2:36 mark of the contest and the best the Jaguars could muster was to pull within just five, 76-81, with only 1:41 left to play.
The Jaguars could find no answer to UV's 6-foot-7 tower in Nigerian Steve Cedric Akomo, who led the Lancers with 20 points.
Hernal Escocio, Eman Calo and John Michael Abad contributed 13 points apiece, while Jerome Silva scored 11 to highlight UV's offensive wealth.
The game turned out to be a little physical in the fourth period, with Escocio getting an unsportsmanlike foul from James Regalado.
And since the Jaguars have to put more body in their post defense, they entered into the penalty situation too early with still six minutes left in the game.
Miguel Tabaloc had 18 points for the Jaguars, who saw their three-game winning streak come to a sudden red stop.
The missing link for USJ-R was Abulaiz Suliman, who finished with only 13 points as he was having problems with his free throws and perimeter shots. Jason Olbedado added 11 points, but he did not become a threat from the outside.
In the secondary matches, the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles chalked up their fifth straight victory in as many starts at the expense of Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildkittens, 81-59, while the University of San Carlos (USC) Baby Warriors pulled off a 76-63 upset of the Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons.
Also, the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Baby Panthers finally barged into the win column following an 80-65 demolition of the USJ-R Baby Jaguars.