Warriors, Jaguars fight for third spot

CEBU, Philippines - The University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors and the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars are already assured of twice-to-beat incentives but they are still bound to wage an all-out war against each other as they battle it out for third spot in the 13th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) men's basketball tournament tonight at the Cebu Coliseum.

Both carrying 3-2 win-loss records, the winner of the Warriors-Jaguars duel will be seeded third and will face the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters in the quarterfinal round starting on Thursday, while the loser will take on the fifth-ranked Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildcats.

Being the top qualifier, the unbeaten defending champion Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras (6-0) gained an outright semifinal entry, while No.2 qualifier University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers will have to beat first the lowest seed University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers to book a semis ticket.

The Jaguars enjoy a slight advantage in their 7:30 pm match versus the Ahmed Salihou-led Warriors, who will be playing without the suspended Charles Pepito and Dominic Adlawan. The two were meted with an automatic one-game suspension after they were thrown out ot the game for unsportsmanlike conduct in their 67-64 win over the UC Webmasters last Saturday at the USC-Main gym.

In today's secondary matches, the Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons hope to formally grab the no. 2 seat as they clash with the struggling UC Junior Webmasters. They will slug it out at 5:45 pm, right after the DBTC Greywolves try to prevent a 0-8 shutout when they go up against the smaller yet aggressive USJ-R Baby Jaguars in the 4 pm opener. (FREEMAN)