Thursday, September 28, 2006 University of Cebu takes high school plum By Jade S. Violeta Sun.Star Staff Reporter
IT TOOK them six years to taste the sweetest of victories.
Yesterday, the University of Cebu (UC) Baby Webmasters finally took home the title in the secondary division of the 2006 Cebu Amateur Schools Athletic Federation (Cesafi) basketball tournament at the New Cebu Coliseum.
The Baby Webmasters’ title-snaring win came after they toppled four-time defending champion, University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Green Lancers, 91-77, in Game 3 of their best-of-three title series.
Only loss
After losing Game 1 of the series—their only loss in the entire tournament—the Baby Webmasters, under coach Reggie Licanda, rebounded in Game 2 with a lopsided victory to stretch the series to its fullest.
Robinson Y. Muhammad Jr. played his biggest game for the Baby Webmasters as he sank a total of 32 markers peppered with four three-point bombs, all scored in the penultimate canto, in leading his team to victory.
Mark Gil Panerio also played a huge offensive game for UC, as he added 14 points in helping his team win its first-ever championship title in the league.
Momentum
Playing with the momentum on their side, the Baby Webmasters reasserted their dominance over the boys of UV coach Jun Pepito, as UC took an early 21-11 lead.
UV was able to cut down their deficit to a single digit in the ensuing period, but the Baby Webmasters unleashed a rally in the same canto to stretch their edge to 45-27 at the bend.
UV managed to edge closer at the start of the third period after cutting down UC’s lead to 11—37-48—but the Baby Webmasters were too much for the Baby Green Lancers as UC, with Muhammad firing at will from beyond the arc, staged another run that built a 69-51 wall in their favor entering the final canto.
Catch up
UV tried to catch up in the final phase, but the Baby Webmasters’ lead proved insurmountable, paving the way for UC’s victory.
Reynan J. Capoy of the Baby Webmasters was adjudged the high school Most Valuable Player.
He will be joined in the Mythical 5 selection by teammate Mar Madison Rago, UV’s Edrian Lao and Philip Mercader, and University of Souther Philippines-Foundation Baby Panthers’ Franz Dione Dysam.
