CESAFI Basketball: USC Warriors ink 3rd straight victory

The University of San Carlos Warriors are on the go as they chalked their third straight victory in the basketball event of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) played at the USP gym in Lahug.
Games today:
(Tabunok gym)
5:30 p.m. CIT vs. UV (juniors)
7 p.m. CIT vs. UV (seniors)

On Thursday, the Warriors eked out a come-from-behind victory over host University of Southern Philippines Foundation Panthers, 84-81.

Today, the first round of elimination game ends today at the Tabunok gym with defending champion University of the Visayas Green Lancers going for a 5-0 sweep when they take on the win-less Cebu Institute of Technology Wildcats. This will follow after the game between the Baby Lancers and the Wildkittens.

Earlier, the Baby Warriors folded up in the homestretch and bowed to the Baby Panthers, 75-82, missing what could have been a rare third double victory on record.

In the opener, the Don Bosco Greywolves exploited the absence of injured University of Cebu Junior Webmasters Jan Julius Colina and scored an 84-73 upset to force a 3-3 win-loss tie with their victim.

The Warriors were ecstatic like they won a championship game when Enrico Llanto scored on a finger roll below the foul line to give his team an 82-80 lead going into the final 32 seconds of the contest. They patiently towed with the Panthers who led most of the way except at the jump-off when the Warriors started with a 6-0 count.

"We worked hard for that win. We just played well against them," said Warriors assistant coach Mike Reyes. He admitted that it also worked on their favor after the scouting he made when USP lost by a mile to UV, 58-93 in Pardo last Tuesday.

"Marami pa kaming gagawin na adjustments. Tsamba lang na napanalo namin ang laro," Reyes added.

The Panthers, who now had their worst season in the CESAFI under coach Raul Latonio Sr., fell to 2-3, way below their 4-1 finish at second place to UV last year.

Llanto led the Warriors with 25 points while Niño Ramirez who had a late explosion, finished with 15 points even as Mark Loyola and Vermini Tangarorang had 11 points apiece.

Glenn Pendang's 25-point efforts went to nil as well as the 19-point production of Arletroy Mercader.

Dennis Ferraren finished with 28 points, 22 of them in the first half, to lead the Baby Panthers while John Rafael Flanco led the Baby Warriors with 25 points.

Don Bosco's Jose Luis Garcia led with 20 points while the Junior Webmasters was paced by Jose Maria Cuico with 24 points.

The scores:

First Game:



(Juniors)

Don Bosco (84) - Garcia 20, Enterina 15, Acha 14, Lim 13, Vender 9, Itaas 8, Parilla 4

UC (73) - Cuico 24, Mohammad 15, Tabalin 8, Espinosa 7, Panerio 6, Sebial 6, Connors 6, Gayo 2, Enriquez 2, Bacalso 2

Second Game:

USP (82) - Ferraren 28, Hemosa 18, Ybañez 10, Dysam 10, Tiro 4, Muñez 4, Aligno 4

USC (75) - Flanco 25, Arriesgado 16, Padillo 9, Alforque 8, Lao 6, Te 6, Delos reyes 2

Third Game: (Seniors)

USC (84) - Llanto 25, Ramirez 15, Tangarorang 11, Loyola 11, Jueves 7, Tagalog 7, Padayao 4, Sharma 2, Igao 2

USP (81) - Pendang 25, Mercader 19, Labares 10, Travero 5, Rogado 5, Demape 5, Belande 5, Gallarde 3, Ceniza 2, Bartolabac 2 Halftime: 34-41