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Friday, September 22, 2006
UV stops USC in overtime to clinch 6th straight Cesafi title
By Jade S. Violeta
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
It is done. The University of the Visayas (UV) has secured a rare sixpeat in Cesafi men's basketball yesterday after sweeping the championship series against the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors at the Cebu Coliseum.
The Warriors, though, didn’t hand the title on a silver platter, as they took Game 2 into overtime.
In the end, the Green Lancers emerged triumphant, 88-83, to clinch their sixth straight Cebu Schools Athletics Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) title, an historic feat that will be difficult to surpass.
UV also preserved their immaculate record in the conference.
The Green Lancers' Game 2 win showed the never-say-die spirit of UV mentor Boy Cabahug’s wards, who battled not only a relentless Warriors squad, but had also to contend with an errant call from the referee.
Plastic bottle
The incident that almost caused a commotion happened in the final 34 seconds of regulation time, with the Green Lancers with ball possession and a 71-69 lead, as referee Villaro slapped UV's bench with a technical foul, after a plastic bottle, coming from the back of UV's bench, landed inside in the court.
The technical foul sent USC's Enrico Llanto to the free throw line and he converted both shots to tie the count at 71-all, to the consternation of Cabahug.
The UV coach reasoned that the call was wayward because they have no motive to throw that bottle, as they had ball possession and were leading.
Luckily for UV, the Warriors failed to convert. The Green Lancers' Rino Berame missed his shot in the return play as time expired to send the game into overtime.
In the extra period, the Green Lancers outscored the Warriors of coach Jay Ramirez, 17-12, as UV's Jayford Rodriguez and Mar Diputado buried a trey each to lead their team to its sixth straight Cesafi championship.
"First of all I would really like to give credit to USC for giving us a good fight despite the fact that they are undermanned. We are just fortunate to have won this game," Cabahug said in a post-game interview.
Class act
The 6-foot-7 Berame once again stamped his class in the series as he finished with 22 points to lead all scorers of UV.
But the big factor was the 2005 Cesafi MVP awardee, Rodriguez, who scored all of his 15 points in the fourth period and in overtime as he almost single-handedly parried all the challenge thrown by the Warriors in UV's way.
In the opening game, the UC Baby Webmasters lived to fight another day after they demolished the UV Baby Green Lancers in Game 2 of their own finals series, 94-77, to bring their battle to the fullest after tying the series at one game apiece.
The deciding Game 3 between the Baby Webmasters and the Baby Green Lancers will be held on September 27.
In the main game, the Warriors' undying hope was very visible all throughout in the game as they fought tooth-and-nail in keeping the bigger Green Lancers within reach.
1st Game (High School): UC (94)—Panerio 22, Capoy 20, Mohammad 14, Rago 12, Connors 12, Babad 6, Espinosa 5, Cabañero 3, Ferrolino 2. UV (77)—Lao 15, Toring 12, Camay 10, Mercader 9, Malagar 8, Gonzaga 7, Sagmon 4, Espinas 2, Premacio 2, Lacno 2, Malig-on 2, Lacuna 2.
2nd Game (College): UV (88)—Berame 22, Rodriguez 15, Akad 12, Esperat 9, Diputado 8, Lanete 7, Dennison 6, Lasala 4, Arda 2, Canoy 2, Pitogo 1. USC (83)—Llanto 29, Mercader 15, Ramirez 14, Tangarorang 9, Padayao 8, Gallarde 5, Dabuco 3.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (September 22, 2006 issue)
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