Warriors notch first victory

CEBU, Philippines - The University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors preyed on the endgame collapse by the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers to hack out a 70-63 win, their first in the 9th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) basketball season the other night at the Cebu Coliseum.

Games today (Cebu Coliseum)

4:30 pm DBTC vs. USC (Jrs.)

6 pm     DBTC vs. USC (Srs.)

The game was still tied at 60-all after USPF’s Fritz Dajalos sank two free throws with still 2:40 left to play.

The Panthers’ sad story of endgame meltdown happened for the third time at the final 1:52 mark of the contest after Sam Hermosa nailed a pair of freebies that put the Warriors on top for good, 62-60.

The rest was history as the Panthers never learned their lesson how to prevent a last-minute heartbreaker. In their past two assignments, USPF also blew its chances of winning over the CIT Wildcats and the SWU Cobras.

Two costly errors by Jordan Bardilas further sealed USPF’s doom, with Gino Gallarde and Cortes scoring on a four-point swing to pad Warriors’ lead to 66-60 with 1:24 to go.

The Warriors trailed at halftime, 25-32, but opened the third period with a 7-0 blitz to knot the count at 32-all. An air-tight battle ensued resulting into a 50-all standoff heading into the final 10-minute zone.

Gallarde, Hermosa and Cortes connived for 33 points for the Warriors. Dajalos, son of ex UV Lancer Stevenson Dajalos, scattered 13 points for the Panthers, who suffered their fourth straight setback after a victorious start.

Meanwhile, CESAFI commissioner Felix O. Tiukinhoy, Jr. announced yesterday that he has imposed a two-game suspension on a referee, whose name is withheld, for his blunder in awarding only one instead of two free throws to a USPF players during its loss to the Cobras last Sunday. Also banned for one game each were the the four table officials for their lapses.

The scores

USC (70) - Gallarde 12, Hermosa 11, Cortes 10, Padillo 8, Padayao 7, Panerio 6, Bautista 3, Cantonao 3, Bakker 2

USPF (63) - Dajalos 13, Durano 11, Linao 9, Tinoy 8, Bardilas 8, Tabada 7, Avila 4, Filoteo 3

Halftime: 25-32. - THE FREEMAN