CESAFI: UC Webmasters end slump, CIT-U Wildcats still winless

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters finally put an end to their 4-game slump as they whipped the Cebu Institute of Technology University (CIT-U) Wildcats, 70-62, in the lone collegiate game of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc (CESAFI) Saturday, September 15 at the New Cebu Coliseum in downtown Cebu City.

It was a fitting birthday present for the Webmasters star playmaker, Garciano Puerto, who turned 24 last Friday, September 16, as not only are they back in the winning column but he has also been named as the Best Player of the Game for the second time.

Despite crumbling twice on the hardcourt in pain while clutching his right torso, the Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur native still finished with 16 points, 6 rebounds, one steal and one block.

With the win, the UC Webmasters improved their win-loss record to 3-6 and is currently ranked at fifth, while the CIT-U Wildcats still have to barge into the win column with 8 games already in the bag. Should the CIT-U fail to draw blood, this will be the first season that they will go winless.

Also contributing double figures for the Webmasters was Justine Dacalos with 14 points.

The Wildcats were topscored by Steven Bucao with 14 points while Jose Marlo Pono added 12 markers.

Both teams signified their thirst for a win as the lead changed hand several times with the Webmasters leading by a point in the first quarter, 16-15, then the Wildcats taking over with a 5-point advantage, 37-32, at the end of the first half.

In the third quarter, neither of the two could get a break as they deadlocked thrice including a 50-all going into the final canto until their last tie at 52-all, when the UC Webmasters showed more heart in wanting the win.

Following the last tie, UC then unleashed 3 treys, one each from Gileant Delator, Joven Tagudin and John Calvin Jabello that allowed UC to distance itself by 5 points, 61-56.

From Jabello’s rainbow shot at the 5:42 mark, the Webmasters then went on a 10-0 run and had their lead ballooning to 12 points, 68-56.

John Anthony Lucena and Pono tried to rally for the Wildcats but with a little less than 3 minutes remaining in the ballgame, couldn’t do enough.    

The scores:

UC Webmasters (70): Puerto 16, Dacalos 14, Jabello 9, Delator 7, Culango 5, Codilla 4, Paghasian 4, Tagudin 3, Mayol 3, Suelto 3, Villegas 2.

CIT-U Wildcats (62): Bucao 14, Pono 12, Maglasang 9, Sanchez 5, Lucena 5, Ariar 5, Alicaway 5, Manatad 4, Muñez 2, Selma 1.

Team Standings as of September 15:

1. SWU-PHINMA – 9-0 

2. UV – 6-3

3. USJ-R – 5-3

4. USC – 5-4

5. UC – 3-6

6. USPF – 2-6

7. CIT-U – 0-8

Games on Sunday, September 18:

High School

1 p.m. – CITU vs CEC 

2:30 p.m. – UV vs SWU

College

4 p.m. – SWU vs USPF

5:30 p.m. – USC vs USJR

– Rappler.com