USC beats UV in best SBP

CEBU, Philippines – Three-peat champion University of San Carlos cruised to its third straight win after stopping the University of the Visayas, 52-26, in the lone Small Basketeers Philippines (SBP) division game over the weekend at the BEST SBP Passerelle Twin tournament 2015 sponsored by Milo held at the Sacred Heard School-Ateneo de Cebu Mango Avenue Campus.

UV actually started out the game on fire catching USC off guard and taking a 10-7 lead after the first quarter behind the duo of Dirk Baguio and Mathaues Omamalin.

But USC made defensive adjustments and shut down UV to just two points in the second quarter, building a safe 18-12 lead after two periods behind the combined efforts of Nicael Cabanero and Jerwin Espina.

Reinhard Jumamoy took over for USC in the third quarter drilling seven points to give the Baby Warriors a 27-17 lead going into the final period. Cabanero and Jumamoy then joined forces for 19 points to stretch the lead in the final quarter, putting the game out of reach. The duo had 16 points each to lead USC. Karl Cua led UV with seven points.

USC now sits atop the leader board with a 3-0 record followed by SHS-Ateneo (1-0), UV (1-1), Don Bosco (0-2), and USJ-R (0-2).

USC goes for sweep and the top seed spot in the playoffs when it faces SHS-Ateneo in its last game. The Baby Warriors are the three-peat defending champions seeking a fourth straight trip to the Visayas Regional Finals in Bacolod this November.