VFI/USJ-R stays alive

With their backs against the wall, the VFI Happy Booster Hotdogs-backed University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars played with a lot of heart and tremendous effort to vanquish the CDO Hamburger-University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers, 87-81, in Game 3 of the best-of-five Partner's Cup basketball finals last night at the Cebu Coliseum.

Game today

(Cebu Coliseum)
5:30 pm CDO-UC vs. VFI/USJ-R

The Jaguars though are still down in the series, 1-2. They shoot for the equalizer when they meet the Lancers anew in Game 4 scheduled at 5 pm today at the coliseum.

The Lancers were actually bound for a 3-0 sweep because even without the suspended center Rino Berame, they were still able to break the defensive pressure by the Jaguars and led by as much as 16 points, 48-32, with just 30 seconds left before the halftime break.

The Lancers, however, wilted under a renewed challenge mounted by the brave Jaguars in the final half.

After Manny Gabas tied the count at 78-all, Ryan Arpay converted a medium-ragne jumper to put the Jaguars in front, 80-78. It was the USJ-R's first taste of the lead since taking an early 18-14 edge.

The Lancers had their last taste of the lead at 81-80 on a triple by Ritchum Dennison, 81-80, with three minutes left in the contest. Unexpectedly, the Lancers committed costly errors at crunchtime that largely contributed to their downfall.

Harry Von Lanete muffed a hurried attempt and in the return play, Lydon Gudez converted a basket to hand USJ-R the lead for good, 82-81. Another bad shot by Jaysar Esperat allowed the Jaguars to pad their lead to 84-81 on a shot by Gabas.

Since Dennison's basket, the Lancers never scored again. Justiniani and Gudez sealed the Jaguars' win with three ticks left before the final buzzer.

In showing they are the hungrier team, three USJ-R stalwarts in Gabas, Gudez and Justiniani all scored 23 points.

It was the second time in Partner's Cup that the Jaguars humbled the mighty UV Lancers. The first was 77-72 decision during the elimination round.

Today, it would be a different picture with the return of UV's Berame and USJ-R's Randy Pogoy from a one-game suspension. The two were automatically suspended after being thrown out of the game for figuring in a heated altercation in Game 2, while Lanete finished with 17 points. The scores

VFI-USJR (87) - Justiniani 23, Gudez 23, Gabas 23, Delfino 8, Ponce 4, Hatague 3, Arpay 2, Malinao 2

CDO-UV (81) - Akad 18, Lanete 17, Luga 9, Dennison 8, Arda 7, Esperat 7, Sendrijas 6, Manigque 3, Canoy 3, Omolon 2, Diputado 2, Villanil 2 Halftime: 48-34