CESAFI: Baby Green Lancers bounces back with blow out of Baby Warriors

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Despite missing two of their key players, the University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Green Lancers showed that they can bounce back higher with an 87-51 whipping of the University of San Carlos (USC) Baby Warriors in the High School basketball competition of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc (CESAFI), Saturday, September 10 at the New Cebu Coliseum.

The other High School games saw the University of Cebu (UC) Junior Webmasters and the Don Bosco Technology Center (DBTC) Greywolves switched places in the leaderboard.  

The UC Junior Webmasters dropped to the third spot with their 5-2 win-loss record after succumbing to the Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons in overtime, 66-72. The regulation game ended at 60-all. The DBTC Greywolves climbs to the second spot with their 6-2 slate following a 78-54 rout of the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJ-R) Baby Jaguars. 

The UV Baby Lancers were missing two of their key players in Ivan Jay Maata and Justin Jake Rosete due to suspension. Maata was meted a one-game suspension by the CESAFI officials after he was thrown out of their game against the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles for punching Eroll Pastor. Rosete, on the other hand, was handed a 4-game suspension or for the rest of the Baby Lancers games in the elimination round by UV team manager Gerald Anthony “Samsam” V. Gullas Jr. This is for photos that have surfaced on Facebook showing him putting a  headlock on Benedict Chua of the Magis Eagles in the same match.

Upon seeing the photos circulated by supporters of the Magis Eagles, Gullas, who is also a Cebu Province First District representative, had not waited for SHS-AdC to file a complaint to the CESAFI officials for the incident but immediately tasked newly appointed Baby Lancers head coach Phil Mercader, Green Lancers head coach Gary Cortes and basketball overall in charge coach Jun Pepito to investigate the matter.

In an official statement, Gullas issued an apology to the entire Cebu basketball community for his players’ behavior.

“I decided that Jake Rosete will be suspended for 3 games or the rest of the elimination period. I thought of imposing a season long suspension to Jake, but I decided to give him a chance to make things right this CESAFI season. I believe that he must redeem himself and prove his worth as a player and as a person. On that note, I also believe that he must do that during the same season he messed up and made a bad name for himself and for the school. He should take this as a challenge. This CESAFI season or what’s left of it, he must show Cebu,

“CESAFI and the people he hurt, that people can change for the better. Like anyone who has committed a mistake, chance is due upon him. Let him step up, grow and repent for his mistakes and do it this season. Let him realize and ponder that basketball is all about good character and sportsmanship. I expect him to follow through and I assure everyone, I will guide him through this process,” the statement further stated.

Rosete, for his part, said that he accepts the sanction imposed on him by Gullas and promised to uphold sportsmanship in every game.

The 17-year-old forward from Davao said though that although he plays physical, he never had any intention of hurting or inflicting injury on anyone.

So far, this year has been controversy-laden for the UV Baby Lancers as they picked up a P55,000 fine from the CESAFI following a preseason tournament bench clearing incident last July involving the DBTC Greywolves.

This is also not the first time that the SHS-AdC Magis Eagles have accused an opponent of a headlock. Back in 2014, this time in football, the Magis Eagles got into a fracas with Alcoy FC wherein they accused Alcoy’s goalkeeper of putting in a headlock one of their players during the Aboitiz Football Cup.

Raul Jancork Cabahug stepped up for the UV Baby Lancers with a double-double performance of 18 points and 13 rebounds.

The CEC Dragons upset of the UC Junior Webmasters was led by Dave Manlapat who finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals.

The DBTC Greywolves, for their part, was topscored by Alje Mendez with 19 points.

Games September 11, Sunday

1 p.m. – SHS-AdC vs SWU (HS)

2:30 p.m. – USPF vs CIT-U (HS)

4 p.m. – UC vs SWU (College)

5:30 p.m. – USC vs USPF (College)

HS Standings:

1. SHS-Ateneo – 6-1 

2. DBTC – 6-2

3. UC – 5-2

4. CEC – 5-3

5. UV – 4-2

6. USJ-R – 4-4

7. SWU-PHINMA – 3-4

8. USPF – 1-5

9. USC – 1-6

10. CIT-U – 0-7 – Rappler.com