The University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars kept their unbeaten record intact with a 79-71 whacking of Don Bosco College Greywolves in the 8th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) basketball season last Monday at the Cebu Coliseum. Thus, the Jaguars firmed up their grip of the overall lead with an immaculate 6-0 slate.
Earlier, the undermanned Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras crushed the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers, 82-59. The Cobras’ management suspended four of their five key players for the remainder of the season for playing in a barangay tournament in Maslog, Danao City.
Banned by team official Ryan Aznar were Eleazar Armecin, Janno Nuñez, Eliud Poligrates, Eric Zanoria and bench-warmer Ritchard Kwong.
While the five cagers were proven to have violated a rule prohibiting them from playing in other tournaments while the CESAFI is ongoing, the league officials did not officially issue any suspension order to the concerned players after Aznar himself vowed to displine them.
The game was actually taken by the Jaguars soon after they erased an early 6-13 deficit. The two protagonists engaged in a neck-to-neck battle but the Jaguars managed to tale a 38-34 lead at halftime.
All of a sudden, the Jaguars waxed hot to rip the game apart, 67-50, midway in the final period. Don Bosco finished the game with an 11-5 rally, but that couldn’t prevent the Jaguars from cruising through another smooth victory.
Luther Luke Justiniani and Armand Ponce each had 12 points for the Jaguars. Chris de la Rama topscored for Don Bosco with 17 points, while Jun Colegado and Jefford Aldave added 14 and 13 points, respectively.
The Cobras, on the other hand, improved their win-loss record to 2-3 despite playing with a depleted roster. Alfred Belande and Clifford Maguate, both former Panthers, topped the Cobras with 37 points combined.
John Gulane led the Panthers with 15 points followed by Moncrif Rogado with 12.
Earlier, Kim Reyes fired 11 points to steer the University of San Carlos (USC) Baby Warriors to a 58-54 victory over the Don Bosco bantams. Kim is son of USC basketball consultant/coach Mike Reyes.
In the other juniors division match, the University of Cebu (UC) Junior Webmasters annihilated the hapless USJ-R Baby Jaguars, 105-56, in what is by far the season’s most lopsided win eclipsing USC’s 45-point demolition of the CIT Wildcats.
The scores
First game
SWU (82) - Belande 23, Maguate 14, Diango 11, Litorja 9, Ceniza 7, Escober 5, Ompad 4, Jalandoni 4, Pacquiao 3, Divinagracia 2
USPF (59) - Gulane 15, Rogado 12, Tabada 9, Monterde 5, Laurente 4, Filoteo 3, Delos reyes 2, Rivera 2, Durano 2, Muñez 2, Mohamad 2, Bardilas 1 Halftime: 41-26
Second game
USJ-R (79) - Justiniani 12, Ponce 12, Delfino 11, Lapiz 8, Duran 8, Pateño 6, Pogoy 5, Malinao 5, Amores 4, Gabas 3, Dela Peña 2, Bibera 2, Villaver 1
DBTC (71) -De la Rama 17, Colegado 14, Aldave 13, Perturbos 8, Delos Santos 5, Alvarez 4, Lumapas 4, Villaver 3, Enterina 2, Caballero 1
Halftime: 38-34