CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Institute of Technology (CIT) Wildcats unleashed their ultimate might in the closing minutes of the contest to thwart the Don Bosco Technological Center (DBTC) Greywolves, 72-63, yesterday in the 9th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (CESAFI) basketball season at the Cebu Coliseum.
The Greywolves of coach Rudy Enterina were poised to score their first win in the tournament as they were ahead by four points, 58-54, with still 5:04 left to play but that proved to be their last courageous stand as they faltered in the remainder of the match.
Heroche Molero, one of the Wildcats' holdovers from last year's roster, and Arnel Ipang each scored 18 points as CIT of coach Gilbert Demape improved its win-loss record to 2-3.
A 14-2 run by the Wildcats gave Demape's chargers a 68-60 advantage at the final 1:26 mark. The Greywolves never recovered from there despite the last ditch efforts of Celso Colegado Jr. and Alain de los Santos.Earlier, high school defending champion University of Cebu (UC) Junior Webmasters notched their sixth win in a row after beating the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Baby Jaguars, 101-93.
In the other secondary match, the Sacred Heart School-Jesuit (SHS-J) Eagles proved that their long lull did not deter their cause as they punished the Baby Greywolves by 57 points, 103-46, to stay undefeated in three starts.
The Baby Greywolves remained winless in six games along with the Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons, who were beaten atrociously by their opponents.
The scores
First game
UC (101) - Ampoon 22, Nazareno 15, Pingoy 15, Padilla 12, Talisic 10, Codilla 9, Aranas 9, Labolabo 7, Pua 2
USJ-R (93) - Muñez 21, Trozo 17, Autentico 17, Escatron 16, Go 6, Montecillo 6, Alob 4, Senining 2, Figues 2
Second game
SHS-J (103) - Porter 12, Diputado 11, Seno 10, Branzuela 9, Muller 9, Cadavis 8, Dinsay 7, Bacaltos 7, Abbu 5, Dotillos 4, Rama 4, Co 4, Saldo 2, Dinsay 2, Tecson 2
DBTC (46) - L. Ruiz 12, J. Ruiz 9, Pono 7, Alburo 6, Aliganga 5, Ebajo 2, Empenio 2, Martinez 2, Balorio 2, Esbra 2
Third game
CIT (72) - Molero 18, Ipang 18, Castro 12, Sagmon 8, Taboada 5, Cañete 5, Elmaga 3, Reyes 3
DBTC (63) - Colegado 13, Delos Santos 11, Aldave 8, Castro 7, Cinco 7, Juntilla 5, Cabrilles 5, Georsua 4, Villaver 3. – THE FREEMAN