UV, USC meet in Passerelle finals

CEBU, Philippines - The University of the Visayas (UV) and University of San Carlos (USC) carved out big wins in the semifinals to arrange a title showdown in the Passerelle division of the Milo-backed BEST Center SBP Passerelle Twin Tournament 2012 for Cebu. UV overcame an upset-conscious Cebu Eastern College (CEC), 56-53, while USC dethroned five-time defending champion Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu, 63-56, in nail-biting wins.

The undefeated UV side paid dearly for playing complacently, allowing CEC to take the lead and control of the game going into the fourth quarter. Down 25-32 at halftime, CEC stormed back and took a 40-39 lead and the momentum going into the fourth period.

After CEC took a 42-39 lead, UV rallied and took a 45-44 lead midway through the fourth period which turned into a see-saw game featuring seven lead changes with each side exchanging baskets. After Frederick Pasturan made it 51-50 for UV with 3:10 left, Theo Joshua Flores added a free throw for a 52-50 UV lead.

Cris Yap cut it down to 52-51 with a free throw with 2:15 left, but Dave Cabanilla made an excellent upfake-and-drive move for an easy lay-up and a 54-51 lead with 29 seconds left. Yap made another basket to make it 54-53 with 13 seconds left but Gerald Fernandez iced the game with two free throws with 10 seconds left for the final score. Cabanilla led a balanced UV attack with nine points. Shann Tan led CEC with nine.

In the other game, USC recovered from a poor first quarter by executing a near perfect second quarter to stop SHS-Ateneo from winning a sixth straight Cebu Passerelle championship. Stunned and behind, 8-22 after one period, USC’s second quarter unit limited SHS-AdC to only two free throws while applying defensive pressure, causing turnovers and scoring off these miscues to take a 26-24 lead at halftime.

Kent Malazarte and Juneou Antigua combined for 12 points in the run. The USC charge continued in the third quarter as USC streaked to a 41-26 lead, thanks to a 15-2 blast behind Carlo Ortega and Reuel Cimafranca. SHS-AdC countered with an 8-0 rally to cut the lead to 41-34 at the end of the third quarter.

Needing to rally, Popoy Navarro opened the fourth period with a triple to cut the lead to four at 41-37, and after Anthony Pestano and Arnie Padilla traded baskets for a 43-39 lead, Paul Galinato drilled his first of three fourth period triples in a 13-5 run to give USC some breathing room at 56-44 with 2:31 left.

Padilla scored seven points in a 9-2 rally to cut the lead to four again, 57-53, with 40 seconds remaining, but Ortega and Pestano sank three free throws for a 60-53 lead after SHS-AdC went on a fouling spree to stop the clock.            

Navarro made three free throws after being fouled while attempting a trey to cut it to 60-56, but USC made another three free throws for the final count. Galinato led USC with 13 points, all of them in the fourth period. Padilla led SHS-AdC with 23.

USC faces off against UV for the Passerelle championship, with the winner moving on to the Visayas Regional Finals which will be hosted by Iloilo City November 16-19. USC had earlier won the SBP division championship and is looking for a double championship this year.  (FREEMAN)