SHS-Ateneo, USC North, UV in CYBL finals

CEBU, Philippines — A couple of clutch performances in the endgame highlighted the playoffs of the Cebu Youth Basketball League 3rd Conference played at the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Mango Avenue campus gym Monday.

In the Division One’s Under 12 semifinals, SHS-Ateneo de Cebu went to their twin towers Joash Cutamora and Kristian Porter to outlast Don Bosco Technology Center, 55-46.

In the Under 15 semifinals, Reinhard Jumamoy stepped up anew to lead USC North over SHS-Ateneo de Cebu, 53-49.

The Under 12 semifinals game was close from start to end with neither side enjoying more than a five-point lead. SHS-Ateneo led at the end of the first three quarters, 15-14, 26-24, and 34-33.

An exchange of baskets ensued at the start of the fourth quarter but Don Bosco hit a wall at 46-47, while the Magis Eagles pulled away. Cutamora score two straight times for a 51-46 lead, while Porter grabbed an offensive rebound off a missed Cutamora free throw to make it 53-46 with 50 seconds left in the game. Cutamora added another basket for the final score, assist coming from his partner Porter.

Cutamora led SHS-Ateneo with 22 points while Porter had 16. Sid Reroma led Don Bosco with 20 points. Kelaih tapic added 16. SHS-Ateneo plays the University of the Visayas in the Under 12 finals where the Cutamora-Porter pair faces off against UV’s tower of power Daniel Padilla. UV defeated SMS-Boystown last week.

In the Under 15 semifinals, USC North’s Jumamoy didn’t score much, but let his leadership do the talking instead.

After trailing SHS-Ateneo, 5-6 and 19-22 after two quarters, Jumamoy immediately turned things around in his quarter by leading USC North to a 39-32 lead, feeding for Kian Catubig’s nine third period points after scoring only three in the period.

SHS-Ateneo quickly replied to take the lead in the fourth quarter at 43-41 on a triple by Marcus Fuentes, but Jumamoy found Pio Ornopia to tie the game at 43-all.

After an exchange of baskets, Jumamoy stole the ball and fed Ornopia to give USC North the lead for good at 47-45. Jumamoy fed Rauric Panimdom and Jerich Deloria for two more baskets to put the game out of reach at 53-46.

Deloria led USC North with ten points while Catubig added nine. Jumamoy had only five points but made up for this with his four assists in the payoff period and more in the third quarter. Tracy Dadang led SHS-Ateneo with 14 points.

USC North now faces UV in the Under 15 finals after the Baby Lancers ousted USPF, 94-54. It’s going to be a showdown between Cebu’s top Under 15 guards in Jumamoy and UV’s Steve Nash Enriquez.

In other playoff games, USC South eliminated One on One, 32-25, in the Under 10 quarterfinals. In Division Two playoff games, Barangay Ermita nipped Cebu Elite, 48-47, in an Under 12 game. In an Under 12 semifinals game, One on One-B ousted SCSIT, 75-38. In the Under 15 quarterfinals, UV-B won over Labangon/VIP, 58-34, while ATS 2 nipped Monterey School, 32-31. ATS 2 then nipped CLBA, 26-23, in the Under 15 semifinals. (FREEMAN)