The Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras preyed on the erratic plays of the University of San Carlos (USC) towards the end of the match to complete a two-game sweep of the topseed Warriors, 77-66, and grab the remaining finals ticket in the 1st M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala Summer Basketball Challenge last Thursday night at the Cebu Coliseum.
Thus, the Cobras set up a title showdown with the already waiting University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars for the inaugural title of M. Lhuillier’s summer offering. Game 1 of the best-of-three series is set on Monday at 6:00pm.
The Warriors have no one else but themselves to blame for the heart-breaking defeat as they committed a spate of costly errors at the point they are about to pull away.
With the Cobras leading by just four, 63-67, 2:25 left to play, USC’s main man Sam Jordan Hermosa missed a wide-open layup that could have changed the complexion of the match in their favor.
Later, USC pointguard Paul Joven was whistled for a three-second violation and then the Warriors made a crucial defensive blunder leading to a breakaway layup by Ard Django that have the Cobras a 69-63 breather entering the final two-minute zone of the contest.
The Warriors threatened for the last time, 66-69, on a triple by Fil-Am Eddie Bakker as Lloyd Poligrates scored on a four-point swing in between Ritchie Jalandoni’s medium-range jumper to bail the Cobras out of danger.
Django hit two free throws with 20 ticks before the final buzzer to settle the final outcome.
Poligrates paced the Cobras with 16 points, while Eric Zanoria and Clifford Maguate chipped in 14 markers apiece. Jalandoni donated 10 points.
Giovanni Padillo had 16 points, while Hermosa scored 10 for the Warriors, who took an early 14-9 lead. The last time they were on top was at 26-25 as the Cobras closed the second period with a 9-2 run to wrest the driver’s seat at halftime, 34-28, for good.
The scores
SWU (77) – Poligrates 16, Maguate 14, Zanoria 14, Jalandoni 10, Belande 9, Django 7, Armecin 3, Ceniza 2, Litorja 2
USC (66) – Padillo 16, Hermosa 10, Cortes 8, Bautista 8, Blanes 6, Gallarde 5, San Juan 4, Bakker 3, Codilla 2, Igao 2, Joven 2
Quarterscores:18-18, 34-28, 54-49, 77-66 – EBV