CESAFI: UV, USC open semis with wins

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers and the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors hurdled their first assignments in heated fashion as the single round robin semifinal stage of the 15^th CESAFI men’s basketball tournament unfurled Tuesday, September 29 at the New Cebu Coliseum.

The top-ranked UV Green Lancers routed the fourth-ranked University of San Jose Recoletos (USJR) Jaguars, 87-77, while the second-ranked Warriors demolished the third-ranked and defending champion Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras, 85-66.

The Green Lancers will next face the Warriors while the Jaguars will try to post a win at the expense of the Cobras, who will be further undermanned with the ejection of Jan Michael Auditor who punched Caesar Ian Ortega with 3 minutes left in the ballgame.

The SWU Jaguars was already playing without Juju Bautista who is nursing an ankle injury which he suffered during their last elimination game against UV Green Lancers last September 26.

UV’s Leonard Santillan, who played for the Batang Gilas last year, had a season high of 23 points, 10 rebounds and 1 steal and once again clinched the best player title.

While in the USC vs SWU match, two Warriors were accorded the best player honor—Charles Pepito and Caesar Ian Ortega. Pepito continued to amaze with his 19 rebounds, 14 points, 2 assists and 2 steals while Ortega drained 6 of his 8 rainbow shots for a total score of 19 points.

Spectators were treated to two heated games as the UV vs USJR match also had one player taken out. Ricky Dyn Peromingan was stretchered off the court and brought to the hospital on suspicion of a fractured rib when he slumped to the floor motionless and later clutching the area below his chest following his drive to the basket wherein Leonard Santillan was standing underneath ready to charge. Peromingan apparently hit that area on Santillan’s knee who also hit the floor as he was brought down by the force of Peromingan’s fall.

Several unsportsmanlike calls were also made in both games, with USJR’s Jaybie Mantilla seen punching UV’s Jerome Napao’s neck while the latter was also called for pushing down hard on Mantilla in retaliation. USJR’s Nelvin Navarra and UV Cameroonian import Steve Akomo were also warned for thrash talking right after the buzzer for the halftime break sounded.

In the SWU vs USC game, before he was thrown out of the game, Auditor was called for an unsportsmanlike behavior along with Giovanni Laguyo just a little more than 3 minutes into the first quarter.

UV vs USJR

Although the Green Lancers was leading in all quarters of the game, USJR can be credited in getting dangerously close, the closest was at 2 points when the Jaguars streaked to 10 straight points to whittle down the 12-point advantage of the Green Lancers, 31-19, at the end of the first half.

However, Santillan led a 10-point UV rally to widen the gap once again to 9 points. With Napao and Alfred Codilla contributing, the Green Lancers continued to hold sway over the Jaguars, 50-42, at the end of the first half.

The Green Lancers maintained the 8-point lead going into the final canto and despite the combined efforts of Ralph Jude Dinolan and Juan Miguel Gastador, the Green Lancers sealed their win with a 10-point advantage.

SWU vs USC

The undermanned Cobras never had a chance as the Warriors started the ballgame with an 8-0 run pinning them to a 10-point deficit going into the second quarter, 19-9.

While the Cobras tried to stay in the game by trailing the Warriors by just 9 points at the half, they clearly had no answer for Ortega’s three treys in the third quarter that saw their deficit ballooning to as much as 20 points.

The Warriors posted their biggest lead at 22 points on the split charities of their Cameroonian import Shooster Olago just before the last two-minute mark.

Seniors semifinal schedule – October 1 at New Cebu Coliseum

5:15 PM – USJR vs SWU

6:45 PM – UV vs USC

Scores

First Game:

UV (87) – Santillan 23, Arong 18, Akomo 12, Codilla 10, Suerte 8, Manzo 7, Napao 6, Balabag 2, Aguirre 1, Cabañero 0.

USJ-R (77) – Dinolan 18, Gastador 17, Mantilla 17, Villafranca 10, Navarra 8, Peromingan 6, Bayhonan 1, Senining 0, Labares 0, Risma 0.

Quarter Scores: 31-19; 50-42; 70-62; 87-77.

Second Game:

USC (85) – Olago 23, Ortega 19, Pepito 14, Magat 8, Tagapan 8, Laguyo 3, Oleodo 3, Suarez 2, McAloney 2, Lim 2, Maconocido 1, Rabat 0.

SWU (63) – Racho 22, Tallo 15, Auditor 12, Luz 10, Clam 4, Holper 2, Gonzaga 0, Pardo 0.

Quarter Scores: 19-9; 29-20; 59-40; 85-63. – Rappler.com