When the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) was looking for someone to turn to, Moncrief Rogado responded to the challenge and led the Panthers to their first win with a scrappy 89-84 conquest of the Don Bosco Greywolves last night in the 7th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) basketball season at the Cebu Coliseum.
Games tomorrow
4:30 pm USJ-R vs. UV (Jrs.)
6:00 pm USC vs. Don Bosco (Srs.)
Rogado, the most senior of the Panthers, scored 11 of his topscoring 27 points in the fourth period when the Panther’s game was on the line.
Rogado scored one triple and six crucial charities in closing seconds of the match to help the Panthers snap out of their three-game losing jinx.
Don Bosco was looking good of winning the joust as Ricmar Perturbos and Alain de los Santos gave the Greywolves an 84-81 edge less than two minutes left in the game.
Rogado and JR Gulane, however, quickly countered by darting back-to-back hits to put the Panthers in front, 85-84, with only 38 ticks left before the final buzzer.
In the ensuing play, Jake Alferez committed an errant pass off a kick-out, forcing the ball to go out of bounds.
To stop the clock from winding down, the Greywolves fouled Rogado but to Don Bosco’s misfortune, the veteran Panther calmly sank his charities to up USP’s lead to 87-84 with 21.7 seconds left.
Again, Don Bosco had he last possession but before the Greywolves could make an attempt, Rogado won he wild scuffle for the ball and was fouled in the process by Mike Caballero.
Flashing nerves of steel, Rogado banked his two free throws with accurate precision with only a seven-tenth of a second left to settle the final tally.
Dennis Tabada, who is known for his razzle-dazzle
plays, complimented Rogado in scoring with 18 points follows by Jonathan Monterde with 10.
The Greywolves, who are still winless in five games, were led by Alferez with 17 points followed by Perturbos and Delos Santos with 16 markers apiece.
The scores
USP (89) - Rogado 27, Tabada 18, Monterde 10,
Moncada 6, Avila 6, Gerundio 5, Mancera 4, Gulane 4,
Muñez 3, Ybañez 2, Paradero 1
Don Bosco (85) - Alferez 17, delos Santos 16,
Perturbos 16, Sasuman 10, Apura 7, Villaver 6, Lumapas
4, Bugtai 3, Colooy 3, Caballero 1, Enterina 1
Halftime: 44-40