CESAFI: Jaguars hand Green Lancers their second loss

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Head Coach Jun Noel’s rotation worked as the University of San Jose Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars unleashed a final quarter onslaught to hand the powerhouse University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers their second defeat of the season, 73-67, in the lone collegiate game of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (CESAFI), Saturday, September 10 at the New Cebu Coliseum.

The win is a perfect morale booster for the Jaguars as not only did they beat a taller team tipped to be one of those who will advance to the finals but they did it with only 10 men in their line-up and without an import.

In their previous games, Noel had been putting Jaybie Mantilla and Ralph Jude “RJ” Dinolan in the second string which he usually brings on with about 3 minutes left in the first quarter. But, in this game against UV, he made a switch and fielded both cagers in the first 5 alongside Nelvin Navarra, Tricky Dyn Peromingan and Clifford Jopia.

And it surely worked as the Jaguars engaged the taller Green Lancers in 3 deadlocks before taking a slim 1-point lead in the first quarter, 19-18.

Mantilla, Dinolan and Peromingan contributed the highest scores in the game. Mantilla was once again named, for the third time, as the Best Player of the Game with his 16 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Dinolan and Peromingan contributed 18 markers each. Also of big help to the team was Juan Miguel Gastador who also sank 16 baskets.

The next two quarters, however, were a Green Lancers show as after levelling the match at 24-all at the 7:06 mark in the second canto on Liberian import Bassieru Sackor’s basket, UV piled up on the baskets to put up as much as a 16-point advantage, 53-37, with two minutes left going into the final canto.

However, Dinolan, Peromingan and Gastador combined to stave off 6 points from UV’s lead to end the third quarter with only a 10-point deficit for USJ-R at 45-55.

However, the Green Lancers quickly recovered with Jayson Balabag quickly opening the final canto with 4-straight points bringing UV’s lead up to 14 points, 59-45.

Peromingan then started the ball rolling for the Jaguars with a trey and 5-straight points from Mantilla which included a triple play when he was fouled by Jerome Napao quickly brought the Jaguars 6 points closer to the Green Lancers, 55-61, with 7 minutes left in the ballgame.

With only 3 minutes left to spare, the Jaguars finally took over the lead on Gastador’s basket, 67-66, and held the 11-time CESAFI champions scoreless until the final seconds when Rey Anthony Suerte converted one of his gift shots.  

The win allowed the Jaguars to split their games against the Green Lancers in the elimination round and solidifies their third place standing with a 5-3 win-loss card, just a win behind second ranked UV which holds a 6-2 card. 

As of September 10

1. SWU-PHINMA – 8-0

2. UV – 6-2

3. USJ-R – 5-3

4. USC – 3-4

5. UC – 2-4

6. USPF – 1-5

7. CIT-U – 0-7

BOXSCORES:

 

USJ-R Jaguars (73) – Dinolan 18, Peromingan 18, Gastador 16, Mantilla 16, Catiloc 2, Navarra 2, Jopia 1.

UV Green Lancers (67) – Sackor 20, Suerte 15, Balabag 13, Codilla 6, Napao 5, Saga 4, Gahi 4.

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) – Rappler.com