Umpad leads Junior Webmasters past Greywolves

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Gelmart Umpad may only be 4-foot-10 tall, but he proved to have the biggest heart of them all as he led the University of Cebu (UC) Junior Webmasters in the last two minutes of the ballgame to end the fairytale-run of the Don Bosco Technological Center (DBTC) Greywolves, 70-75.

They clinched the last semifinal slot in the High School division of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Incorporated (CESAFI), Thursday, September 29, at the New Cebu Coliseum.

It is ironic that player most jeered by the DBTC Greywolves supporters would be the same player who would frustrate them in the end. Umpad probably earned the ire of the Greywolves supporters because of his never-say-die attitude inside the court.

UC Junior Webmasters head coach Jover Samonte said that his last advise to his players was for them to stay focused and not to worry even when they were already trailing the DBTC Greywolves by 12 points, 32-44, a rally sparked by John Benedick Damolo and Ken Gato who combined for 13 points after UC was able to tie the game at 31-all at the 7:27 mark in the final canto.

Samonte said that he himself never got worried despite DBTC’s sizeable lead because he knew that his boys could come back on defense, which is  what they have been preparing for in this do or die match.

“I knew that my players could bounce back on defense, that’s my bread and butter, full court trap. I told them that we will make a run once and that would already be straight for the win. I knew that if we pressure them, man to man defense, they will get rattled.”

Indeed, the Junior Webmasters put Samonte’s words in their heads as they made a run for it in the last two minutes of the ballgame and applied pressure on the Greywolves. 

“It wasn’t time to surrender. My players might be smaller but in their hearts, they would never surrender.” 

The UC Junior Webmasters advanced to the playoffs with a twice-to-beat advantage against the DBTC Greywolves after finishing the eliminations in 4th place with a 6-3 win-loss card. DBTC, for its part, placed 5th after starting strong in the season and earned the right to face UC. Both teams actually finished with the same 6-3 card but UC took up the higher spot after defeating DBTC in the last game of the elimination round.

DBTC, however, promptly avenged that loss with a 77-64 quarterfinal win to stay alive in the contest and forged the rubbermatch. 

The Rubbermatch

The DBTC Greywolves were still leading by 3 points, 68-65, as the last two minutes was announced, when Umpad went on a rampage, first by snatching the ball from Grenald Malubay who promptly fouled him.

With their senior brothers, the UC Webmasters, cheering them on the sidelines, Umpad lost no time in converting his two gift shots to bring the Junior Webmasters to just a point behind the Greywolves, 67-68.

UC gained ball possession in the next play and tasted a slim 1-point lead, 68-69, which it last held in the early minutes of the second quarter on Kyle Fritz Ordeniza’s shot with 1:25 left.

With DBTC needing to score in the return play, Umpad once again struck, this time stealing the ball from Juan Miguel Dela Torre. In the scuffle, DBTC lost its key player, Damole, who seemed to have sprained his left ankle as he was brought to the side and attended to by medics.

As the action continued, Malubay lost the ball to Luigi Kondrad Gabisan who promptly passed the ball to Umpad, who then sank a floater to bring UC up by 3 points, 71-68, with 1:03 left in the ballgame.

The Greywolves were not about to concede the game with Gato cutting UC’s lead to just a point, 70-71. Jumike Casera then converted one of his charities for a 72-70 advantage for UC after picking a foul from Al Mendez who fouled out in the process.

With the seconds trickling out, DBTC attempts a trey but it was a no go. Unfortunately for the Greywolves, the Junior Webmasters forced a turnover. 

In an attempt to distance themselves, UC’s John Bryl Cuyos failed in his layup attempt and had the ball swatted away from him. Fortunately for Cuyos, Umpad was once again there to pick up the ball and was fouled by Dela Torre.

With Umpad splitting his charities, 73-70, Casera then successfully gained ball possession and again drew a foul from John Joseph Mangaron, halting the clock at 4.4 seconds. Yannick Noah Enriquez took over the free throws as Casera got sidelined by cramps. Enriquez eventually sealed the win for UC as time ran out for the dejected Greywolves.

The UC Junior Webmasters will be joining No. 1 seed Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles, No. 2 seed University of the Visayas Baby Lancers, and  No.3 seed Cebu Eastern College Dragons who booted out the University of San Jose Recoletos Baby Jaguars, 72-55, in the Playoffs.

PBA hotshot Dondon Hontiveros, who watched the game, gifted Umpad a shirt. Hontiveros used to play for UC in his college days. Incidentally, he also played for DBTC in his high school days. – Rappler.com