UC Webmasters chalk up first win in CESAFI cage wars

CEBU, Philippines - Defending champion University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters had to toil hard before getting rid of the relentless Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildcats, 83-78, for their first win in the 12th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) men's basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum.

Trailing by a hairline at halftime, 35-36, the Webmasters staged a daring counter-attack in the third period to mount an 11-point advantage, 61-50. They opened the fourth period with another 64-53 lead on a lone triple of the night by graduating guard Robinson Mohammad.

In several occasions in the final quarter, the Wildcats were poised to wrest the driver's seat, the last was at 78-79 on two free throws by Axel Rabaya with only 12 seconds left to play.

However, when the game was on the line and their pride was being shaken, big guard Quinton Brian Heruela took matters into his own hands by scoring the final four points for UC from the free throw line. His interception in the final 1.4 seconds iced the match for the Webmasters.

Heruela topscored for UC with 25 points, while Kido Cabrera had a breakout performance of 16 points. Kim Gomez and Jan Michael Auditor chipped in 14 points markers for the Webmasters, who fired six triples in the second half. 

Brigoli and Jeffrey Taghoy, who were accounted for CIT-U's seven 3-pointers, finished with 17 points apiece for the Wildcats. Allan Dimco added 15 and Rabaya had 12 points in a losing effort.

The Wildcats were without top playmaker Floyd Taboada, who was serving a one-game suspension.

Meanwhile, the UC Junior Webmasters annihilated the Don Bosco Greywolves, 88-83, to earn a share of the secondary division lead with defending champion University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers on identical 2-0 slates.

The scores

First game

UC (88) - Gastador 19, Orquez 16, Armenion 15, Dacalos 10, Alerta 8, Paon 6, Dela Fuente 6, Igloria 4, Menina 2, Makasiar 2

DBTC (38) - Ando 12, Matias 9, Cruz 6, Ortega 3, Araras 3, Geraldizo 3, Aliganga 2

Second game

 UC (83) - Heruela 25, Cabrera 16, Gomez 14, Auditor 14, Asis 5, Mohammad 3, Cueva 3, Sealana 2, Wagas 1

CIT-U (78) - Taghoy 17, Brigoli 17, Dimco 15, Rabaya 12, Batiquin 4, Palielo 4, Graf 3, Booc 2, Pono 2, Limalima 2.    - THE FREEMAN