SWU, UC share top honors in NSBC tilt

CEBU, Philippines - So serious with their campaign, the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters fell five points short of celebrating what would have been a rare double championship in the National Students Basketball Championships after losing to the Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras anew, 78-73, in the collegiate final at   the Urios College gym in Butuan City, Agusan del Norte.

UC earlier secured the secondary crown after the Junior Webmasters escaped with an 89-88 win over the Philippine Christian College based in Cagayan de Oro City.

While 6-foot-9 UC giant June Mar Fajardo was in his usual best scoring 35 points, it proved that the 21-point haul by Alfred Belande was bigger as it helped in giving the Cobras a rare back-to-back championships. SWU won last year's title by stunning the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers.

Eliud Poligrates chipped in 18 points and Eric Zanoria added 11 points for the Cobras.

In the juniors division, Roger Pogoy topscored for UC with 21 points ,while Zandro Panlileo finished with 10 points.

The scores

Final, Juniors

UC (89) - Pogoy 21, Panlileo 10, Tindoy 9, Taboada 9, Labolabo 6, Navaja 6, Codilla 6, Ampoon 3PCCC (88) - Dalio 19, Aquino 17, Labantog 9, Acaylar 9, Tabuelnon 5

 Second game - Final, Seniors

SWU (78) - Belande 21, Poligrates 18, Zanoria 11, Armecin 8, Pria 6, Gallarde 4, Diango 4, Gianchan 2, Litorja 2, Jalandoni 2

UC (73) - Fajardo 35, Rogado 17, Pao 6, Mohamad 6, Abella 3, Juliane 2, Luceño 2, Vernel 1, Cayanong 1 Halftime: 35-30. - GGM (THE FREEMAN)