Tuesday, October 10, 2006 70-67 win catapults Green Lancers to CL quarterfinals By Frank C. Calapre Sun.Star Correspondent
MANILA—Cebu champion University of the Visayas leaned on Von Lanete’s two free throws in the final 6.9 seconds to escape a 70-67 win over Adamson Falcons yesterday in the Collegiate Champions League at the University of Sto. Tomas gym here.
Lanete, younger brother of PBL veteran Chico, completed a pair of charities off a foul by Marvin Poloyapoy to ensure that the Queen City of the South, considered as a breeding ground of homegrown talents, has a representative in the quarterfinal round.
The win gave the six-time Cesafi champion Green Lancers a slot in the next round. They will face the winner between 82nd NCAA titlist San Beda College and National University, which will clash today in the second game at 4 p.m. at the San Beda gym.
Although, the Green Lancers were seeded three notches lower than the seventh ranked Falcons, the No. 1 team from the Vis-Min area led for most of the second half, posting the game's biggest lead midway in the third, 47-40, on a three-pointer from Chris Diputado.
To win
“We came here to win,” said UV coach Elmer “Boy” Cabahug. “Pinag-aralan lang namin ang galaw nila (Falcons) nung first half bago kami umatake sa last two quarters.”
The Green Lancers maintained the lead early in the fourth after a similar howitzer by Lanete, 57-50, as they played a well-oiled defense down the stretch.
Morsie Akad forced a jump ball against fellow Cebuano Patrick Cabahug and took possession of the ball with only 7.8 seconds remaining.
Lanete then drew a foul from Poloyapoy to nail the final score.
Crucial miss
They also limited Ken Bono, the UAAP MVP, to only 13 points on 6-of-17 shooting (35-percent). Bono missed a hurried game-tying trey at the buzzer, allowing the Cebuanos to escape with the win.
The Green Lancers, third place finisher last year, became the first lower ranked team to win in the Sweet 16 after the University of Cebu bowed to the Letran Knights, 71-81, on Friday.
Akad, who also pushed their lead to 68-65 with 1:18 to play, led UV with 13 points and nine rebounds, while Rodriguez finished with 11 and 9 points for Diputado.
