Tuesday, April 03, 2007
USJ-R spoils UV party
By Marian C. Baring
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
VIRGINIA Foods Inc-University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) foiled a sweep when it humbled once more the CDO-University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers, 87-81 in yesterday's Game 3 of the Partners Cup championship series.
The Jaguars also marked another entry into the history books with their win over the Green Lancers.
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It was a classic come from behind thriller that rocked the Cebu Coliseum's crowd as the Virgiia-USJR Jaguars overhauled an 18-point deficit to escape with the win and to 1-2 extend the series to Game 4, slated today.
What was remarkable about USJ-R's win was that other than being the only team to have defeated the mighty Lacers twice in a season, the Jaguars were the only team in the Cesafi to have handed UV a loss in the championship series.
The Lancers were actually headed at cutting short the series as it virtually outscored the Jaguars starting the second period, when it dispensed 34 points compared to USJ-R's 16, to build up a comfortable lead.
The Jaguars, refusing to buckle down without a fight, went haywire in the third frame, and scorched the arch to pull within by a hairline, 66-65. The Lancers managed to take back the driver's seat, to close the penultimate frame 72-66.
When the fourth period hit, the limelight shifted focus as it became an all-USJ-R show.
A booming triple from Luther Justiniani opened the closing period, which opened up a frenzied run from Manny Gabas and Lyndo Gudes to finally take the lead, 80-78, never to turn back, as the Lancers failed to put up a decent fight, scoring a measly nine points in this period.
USJ-R's peppery playmaker Armand Ponce picked a wrong time to be playing rotten, as he scored only two points in the crucial match-up. Luckily, Justiniani, Gudez and Gabas stepped up to become a major pain for UV coach Elmer Cabahug, as the three scored 23 points each to lead the Jaguars.
UV was led by Von Lañete with 17 markers. Today, UV hopes to bounce back with the return of Rino Berami, who was serving a one-game suspension.
Virginia-USJ-R (87) – Gudez 23, Justiniani 23, Gabas 23, Delfino 8, Ponce 4, Hatague 3, Malinao 2, Arpay 2. CDO-UV (81) – Lañete 17, Akad 16, Luga 9, Dennison 8, Arda 7, Sendrijas 6, Canoy 3, Manigue 3, Diputado 2, Omolon 2.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. ( April 3, 2007 issue)
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