BECAUSE of the Partner’s Cup, new talents have suddenly earned their 15-minutes of fame. Last Tuesday, Skygo Southwestern University Cobras slowly crept out of the dungeon to finally barge into the win column of the Partner’s Cup caging after outlasting El Rancho-Cebu Institute of Technology Wildcats, 76-72.

Richard Gianchand did not score his usual eye-popping numbers in the game. But with Gallarde going berserk, he did not have to.
Gallarde basked in glory after lifting his team to victory when he dispersed 26 markers on his first day on the job.

Absences

His powerful performance had made up for his absences during the team’s first two outings because of a wrist injury and compensated for Gianchand’s anemic one-point production.

With what he is displaying, commissioner Ramon Fernandez had seen a bright future ahead of Gallarde, whom he called a “jewel in the rough.”

“He may not have much finesse, but he is someone to watch out for in the Cesafi because he could play any post. He has the size, the built. He is very athletic,” Fernandez said.

The Cobras were down, 15-27, in the opening frame, but SWU’s power forward scorched the paint and scored 11 points in this quarter alone for his team to take the lead, 39-38.

Hard-earned win

“It was a hard-earned win. Luckily, the players responded to the late surge of El Rancho-CIT,” said team official Ryan Aznar, who is also the acting head of the SWU athletics department.

El Rancho-CIT however was a fighter until the end when it later managed to level the game, 53-all courtesy of a triple from Jerry Lumungsod to equalize the game.

In the final stretch, the Cobras went on a 7-1 surge, scored mostly from the charity line, to pull away, 67-60. The Wildcats will then come closer, 65-67, via a basket from Resilla and a triple by Sherwin Abobo.

It is then when Gallarde took matters into his own hands, when he scored six straight points, which virtually sealed the fate.
Skygo-SWU joins the winners circle after registering its first victory in four games, while El Rancho-CIT remains at the bottom with a winless 0-3 record.

“So far the team needs more exposure as you noticed during our previous games, (vs. UC, USC) the players‘lack of maturity had been the team’s weakness. But we also appreciate their hardwork on the defensive end,” Aznar said.

CIT (72) – Lumungsod 29, Abobo 19, Resilla 9, dela Cerna 7, Aniñon 3, Montealto 3, Reyes 2. SWU (76) – Gallarde 26, Maguate 11, Zanoria 8, Arong 8, Zanoria 8, Canonigo 6, Belande 4, Litorja 3, Trajico 2, Jalandoni 2, Gianchand 1, Yap 1.