Baby Warriors trounce Don Bosco Jrs.

CEBU, Philippines - The University of San Carlos (USC) Baby Warriors started hot and went strong in the end to whip the Don Bosco Technology Center (DBTC) Baby Greywolves, 92-77, in the 9th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) basketball season last night at the Cebu Coliseum.

The Baby Warriors, who are now catching up with their 3-2 win-loss record, are actually occupying the solo second place because defending champion University of Cebu (UC) Junior Webmasters and last year’s runner-up University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers are tied on top with 4-0 slates.

They sizzled early and finished the first period with a 33-18 lead as they exploited their advantage in quickness despite only Ahien Kikuchi providing power at the post.

Anthony Gai Romaguera topscored for the Baby Warriors with 21 points but the rest distributed their wealth fairly enough as they wanted to have their teammmates get involved in the offense.

Surprisingly though, the Baby Greywolves withstood the challenge in the second period where they were able to match the Baby Warriors’ output with 18 points but still trailed by 15 points to the intermission, 36-51.

Unfortunately for the Baby Greywolves, they could not draw closer because three of their key players suffered muscle cramps, showing that they seemed to have lacked physical conditioning as the Baby Warriors kept on pounding them in the third period to take a 66-48 lead.

The fourth period was the best time for the Baby Greywolves to rally but they closest they could muster was to trim the gap to 13 points on two free throws by Jose Marlo Pono.

Francis Dave Guardario added 14 points for the Baby Warriors while Kikuchi, the only bright spot at the post, chipped in 10 points.

The Baby Greywolves, who fell to 0-4, were led by Kyle Esbra with 21 points followed by Chris Daryl Yap with 14.

The scores

USC (92) - Romaguera 21, Guardario 14, Kikuchi 10, Palapar 9, Omolon 7, Malana 6, Bacaltos 4, Bongo 4, Lora 4, Juariza 3, Dalangpan 3, Rabuya

DBTC (77) - Esbra 21, Yap 14, Balorio 8, Alburo 7, J. Ruiz 7, Empenio 6, Pono 5, L. Ruiz 4, Castillo 2, Bastes 2, Tigullo 1

Halftime: 51-36. – THE FREEMAN