UV Green Lancers take down USJR Jaguars in exciting duel

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers overcame a slump in its performance to win over the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJR) Jaguars, 89-82, in what was seen as the most exciting game so far of the collegiate division of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (CESAFI) held at the Cebu Coliseum Thursday, August 6.

While Green Lancers’ Francisco Arong may have been named as the best player of the ballgame, it was Alfred Codilla who paved the way for UV, last year’s third placer, to take back the lead in the dying seconds and eventually take its second victory of the 2015 season in as many games.

It seemed that the Jaguars already had its second victory in its grasp but with a little more than 30 seconds remaining in the ballgame, Codilla gave the Green Lancers the lead at 83-82, which earned him a bonus shot after he was fouled by the Jaguars’ Ralph Jude Dinolan enroute to sinking the basket. He then stretched the lead to 84-82 with his charity.

In the return game, the Jaguars failed to tie the game when Dinolan missed his attempt. The ball stayed with them, however, and was passed to Jaybie Mantilla, who had yet to miss an attempt, but his shot was blocked by Steve Cedrick Akomo – ensuring the Green Lancers of still having the upperhand.

UV slowed down the pace with Codilla earning another foul. He then coolly sank his free throws for an 86-82 lead. As the seconds were trickling down, Arong then split his free throws while Akomo tipped the ball in for a follow-up ending the game with the Green Lancers posting a 7-point advantage over the Jaguars.

The dying seconds also saw 3 of the Jaguars’ big men fouling out one after the other – Nelvin Navarra, Kevin Rey Villafranca and Mark Louie Labares.

Eager to show its wares following a win via forfeit against the Cebu Institute of Technology – University (CIT-U) last weekend, UV wasted no time in dominating the game from the starting buzzer anchored on the baskets of Leonard Santillan, who had suited up for the national youth team in Dubai last year, to end the first quarter in its favor, 22-13.

The Jaguars then closed in on the efforts of Navarra and Mantilla, however, Arong and Santillan also combined their efforts allowing the Green Lancers to pull away and still have an advantage of seven points, 44-37, going into the halftime break.

The third quarter then saw a a slower output for the Green Lancers which the Jaguars capitalized on with Mantilla slowly hacking on UV’s lead.

A basket from Juan Miguel Gastador eventually sent the ballgame back to square one at 55-all going into the fourth canto.

A triple from Labares allowed the Jaguars to take the lead at 58-55 which was stretched by Gastador to 60-55 on a fastbreak. For several minutes, the Jaguars then held a 7-point advantage over the Green Lancers until a basket from Rey Anthony Suerte started UV’s return to the ballgame.

As the Green Lancers slowly cut down on the Jaguars lead, Akomo also found his pulse at the free throw line.

USPF second loss

In the Juniors division, the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Baby Panthers absorbed its second straight loss after succumbing to the Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons, 43-59.

The Baby Panthers had waxed hot at the start and even took the lead at 7-4 early in the first quarter. However, with its scorers in Allen Peligrino and Ain Carlo Obenza having a bad day, USPF had trailed the Dragons from the time it relinquished the lead a few minutes going into the second canto.

As the USPF conitnued to miss its chances, CEC’s James Mark Roa became unstoppable allowing the Dragons lead to balloon to as much as 19 points going into the final quarter.

Obenza was finally able to sink his baskets in the fourth quarter but was too late to engineer a comeback for the Baby Panthers, who eventually had to accept a 16-point deficit at the end of the ballgame.

James Mark Roa was eventually named as the best player after finishing with 21 points.

Scores:

SENIORS:

UV (89) – Arong 19, Akomo 18, Santillan 16, Aguirre 9, Codilla 8, Balabag 5, Suerte 4, Segumpan 3, Mendoza 3, Napao 3, Manzo 0, Cabañero 0

 

USJ-R (82) – Mantilla 17, Dinolan 12, Gastador 12, Navarra 9, Labares 7, Villafranca 6, Peromingan 6, Risma 5, Bayhonan 4, Senining 3, Moral 0

Quarter scores: 22-11, 44-37, 55-55, 89-82

JUNIORS:

CEC (59) – M. Roa 21, Tempra 9, A. Roa 8, Galarse 8, Tecson 6, Sullano 2, M. Casio 2, Orillaneda 2, Astillero 1, Tiu 0, Canoy 0, Leopoldo 0

 

USPF (43) – Ybañez 10, Obenza 9, Peligrino 8, Archival 8, Fermin 3, Sandoval 2, Justol 2, Macalam 1, Hernando 0, Cometa 0, Lequin 0, Tajo 0, Soon 0, Laudehr 0, Urot 0

Quarter scores: 16-11, 31-13, 47-28, 59-43

 

Games on August 8 (Saturday) at Cebu Coliseum:

1PM – CEC vs DBTC (JRS)

2:30 PM – USJR vs UV (JRS)

4 PM – UC vs USC (SRS)

5:30 PM – CITU vs SWU (SRS) – Rappler.com