Cobras in triumphant return SWU shoots down HNU;USJ-R routs BIT in VAAA cage wars

The Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras made their return in collegiate basketball a meaningful one by chewing up the Holy Name University (HNU) Falcons, 82-50, in yesterday's kick-off salvo of the Visayas Amateur Athletic Association (VAAA) witnessed by a sizeable crowd at the Aznar Coliseum.

It was a clean sweep by the Cebu teams over the Boholano visitors as the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars earlier sank the Bohol Institute of Technology (BIT) Cruisers, 102-81.

Playing for the first time in a school-based cage league since taking an indefinite leave of absence in the CESAFI in 2002, the Cobras announced their comeback with a loud bang as they ruthless peppered the Falcons after racing to a 27-10 start.

The Cobras made the Falcons' flight miserable from that point on as their lead snowballed to as high 34 points with 49 seconds to go in the contest.

From the beginning, the outcome was already evident as the Cobras proved too combative for the Falcons.

With SWU owner Matias "Bombi" Aznar III acting as their chief cheerleader at the sidelines, an inspired Cobras of coach Alejandrito Miego simply outclassed the Falcons on all facet of the game to come up with a 32-point cakewalk.

Alfred Belande scattered a game-high 20 points followed by Jaime Yap, Jr. and Cleford Maguate for the Cobras.

In sharp contrast to SWU's showing, USJ-R had to shook off a rusty showing in the early goings before teaching the BIT cagers a neat lesson in hoops.

Wielding a razzle-dazzle brand of play, the BIT Cruisers led for most of the first quarter, but the Jaguars fought back to take control of the match, 27-25.

It was an all-Jaguars show the rest of the way as they staged a crippling 19-12 rally in the third period to pad a marginal 51-46 edge at halftime into a 23-point bubble, 80-57, entering the final canto.

Lyndon Gudez topped USJ-R with 19 points, while Ranulfo Malinao and Randy Pogoy chipped in 26 points combined.

Armand May Ponce scored only four, but made distinction for hitting the historic first ever basket in VAAA with just 12 seconds gone by before the opening tip-off.

The scores

First game

USJ-R (102) - Gudez 19, Malinao 14, Pogoy 12, Carilla 9, Hatague 8, Antigua 7, Delfino 6, Gabas 6, Imai 6, Lapiz 5, Ponce 4, Bibera 4, Villahermosa 2

BIT (81) - Timtim 24, Lusdoc 16, Martinez 12, Guillana 8, Mapait 8, Gudez 6, Amayo 4, Dajalos 3

Second game

SWU (82) - Belande 20, Yap 12, Maguate 12, Canonigo 10, Litorja 8, Cabahug 7, Gallarde 5, Jueco 2, Jalandoni 2, Gianchaco 2, Villegas 2

HNU (50) - Jimenez 13, Gudillena 10, Amonsot 7, Basco 7, Apat 4, Resolosa 3, Baja 2, Felisarta 2.