UV Green Lancers thrash SWU-Phinma in St Bernard hoops

SOUTHERN LEYTE, Philippines – The University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers thrashed the Southwestern University-Phinma (SWU-Phinma) Cobras, 78-63, late Monday night, May 29, to bag the title in the Saint Isidore Inter-Collegiate Basketball Invitational Cup.

The win sent a strong signal that the UV Green Lancers intends to retain the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Incorporated senior men’s basketball title. The Saint Isidore Cup is considered as the pre-season tournament of this year’s CESAFI.

The surprise of the tournament was the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers which outsmarted the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors, 2016 CESAFI 1st runner-up, 74-68, in overtime, for 3rd place. The regulation game ended at 61-all. The USPF Panthers only won one game in last year’s CESAFI season.

As there is no official pre-season tournament for this year’s CESAFI season, most of the teams are using the Saint Isidore tournament as a way to assess their teams, with 5 of the 7 collegiate member teams seeing action here. 

Rounding up the 5 teams is the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters which is now under the tutelage of one of Cebu’s best coaches, Yayoy Alcoseba. Alcoseba had just parted ways with the SWU-Phinma Cobras, handing the coaching reins to his former assistant coach Mike Reyes, brother of Pilipinas Gilas coach Chot Reyes.

UV Green Lancers head coach Gary Cortes said they joined the tournament in Saint Bernard town primarily for an early assessment of the team. 

“Ako lang gikuan kung asa kutob ang ilang paningkamot ba, ang akong core nga mga 9 ka players, kung makaagwanta ba sila ug whole game (I am trying to see how determined they are especially my core of 9 players, if they can go through a whole game),” Cortes said.

The Green Lancers have 6 new players in their lineup. Cortes said that his lineup in this tournament will be most likely his lineup for this year’s CESAFI.

Cortes hopes that the rookies would be able to gel with the team by June and learn their system of play. The coach said that right now, the rookies cannot yet adjust to their type of play.

The teams play in a single-round robin elimination format with the top two teams advancing to the championship battle and the teams at third and 4th places to face each other for a battle for 3rd place.

The SWU-Phinma Cobras advanced to the knockout finals after finishing at the top of the heap by conceding only one of their 4 elimination games against the UC Webmasters, 64-90. 

The Cobras and the Green Lancers hold the same scorecard of 3 wins and one loss but the Cobras take the top spot as they edged the Green Lancers, 78-75, in overtime during the eliminations. 

The Championship

Named Most Valuable Player was Sheldon Gahi for his consistent performance in the 3-day tournament. He also posted 10 points in the championship match.

Topscoring for the UV Green Lancers was Basseiru Sackor with 18 points while Rey Anthony Suerte, the reigning CESAFI MVP, added 17 points. Suerte also won the slam-dunk contest, one of the side events of the tournament.

Jobanie Luz finished with 21 points for the SWU-Phinma Cobras’ losing cause as he was the only one who seemed to be working hard for the team.

“Mahirap kalabanin ang UV (It’s hard to to go up against UV),” said SWU-Phinma head coach Mike Reyes, who added that Luz had a hard time because his teammates could not score under the goal.

Shaq Imperial contributed 10 points while Gerald Fernandez finished with 8 points.

Father Joselito Catubig

It was not the first time for the people of Saint Bernard to witness a big basketball event organized by their parish priest, Father Joselito Catubig, with the help of UV scouting coach Van Halen Parmis. The two met after the Ginsaugon village landslide in 2006.

Saint Bernard hosted the Cebu Leyte Cup last year which saw PBA teams  Ginebra San Miguel and Barako Red Bull pitted against each other. It had also hosted an event which saw collegiate teams from Manila – UST and San Beda – go up against teams from Cebu, UV, and USC.

“Every year mao gyuy pangitaon sa mga taw gyud kay gahatag ug kalingawan gyud di lamang sa Saint Bernard kung di sa mga kasilinganang lungsod nga mangabot jud diri. So nakita nako nga usa jud nga makahatag ug dakong kalingawan sa fiesta kay ang basketball” said Catubig.

(Every year the people look forward to it because it gives them entertainment not only for people here in Saint Bernard but also for people from the neighboring towns who also come here to see the event. Thus I see that basketball really gives a big entertainment during the fiesta.) 

Battle for 3rd

The USPF Panthers vs USC Warriors proved to be the more exciting game as not only did it end in overtime but the game also went into 6 deadlocks. 

The Panthers even led the Warriors by as much as 17 points, 41-24, in the third quarter.

Leading the USPF Panthers was Nigerian import Rich Managor with 18 points while Kimo Bajamunde added 15 baskets. Kenneth Cada also contributed 9 points.

USC’s losing cause was led by Kevin Oleodo with 12 points while Jules Langres and Kent Cabañog handed 11 and 10, respectively.

 

BOXSCORES:

CHAMPIONSHIP

UV Green Lancers (78) – Sackor 18, Suerte 17, Albina 10, Gahi 10, Balabag 8, Soliva 7, Maestre 4, Segumpan 2, Testa 2.  

SWU-Phinma Cobras (63) – Luz 21, Imperial 10, Fernandez 8, Nazareno 6, Molina 5, Litang 4, R. Ugsang 3, Polican 2, Bayhonan 1.

BATTLE FOR THIRD 

USPF Panthers (74) – Managor 18, Bajamunde 15, Cada 9, Avanceña 8, Batac 5, Colina 5, Rancelli 4, Villarta 4, Patalinghug 3, Quiachon 2, Allocillo 1.

USC Warriors (68) – Oleodo 12, Langres 11, Cabañog 10, Ecarma 5, Aranas 5, Oguis 5, Araw-Araw 2, Rabat 2.