Tuesday, August 21, 2007 Webmasters cling on By Marian C. Baring Sun.Star Staff Reporter
THE drought is over for the University of Cebu Webmasters as they claimed their first victory at the expense of the Don Bosco College Greywolves, 109-96, last Sunday at the Cebu Coliseum.
After being in the slump losing in their last three games, the Webmasters finally saw light to salvage their win-loss slate to 1-3. Now, UC only needs to win its remaining games in order to stay in contention for the fourth place in the ranking.
UC needed the first two periods in order to build a safe 25-point wall against the Greywolves.
Three minutes in the penultimate round, DBC then started scoring on fastbreaks, outrunning the Webmasters, 12-4. DBC was on a streak in this quarter, as it was able to outscore UC, 18-30, slicing the lead to just 12, 66-78.
Barrage
DBC was, however, forever silenced in the fourth by the three consecutive triples from Allain Abellanosa and Kelvin Juliane and in less than four minutes, the Greywolves once more found themselves buried. This time UC’s lead swelled to as much as 27 points.
Abellanosa scored 19 points for UC, while Christian Rez added 16. Ricmar Perturbos topscored for DBC with 16 points.
In the other seniors game, the University of San Jose Recoletos-Jaguars continue their explosive run as they devoured Cebu Institute of Technology Wildcats, 74-63.
USJR currently has a 4-0 slate, sharing the top of the heap together with the University of the Visayas Green Lancers and University of San Carlos Warriors.
USJ-R’s wily point guard Armand Ponce scattered 15 points, while Manny Gabas added 13. CIT’s most explosive player, Sherwin Abobo, lived up to his lofty billing finishing with 23 points to once more be dispensing the most number of baskets for the team.
Baby games
In the juniors division, the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Baby Panthers took the crowd by storm as they labored through two overtimes to beat the UC Baby Webmasters, 109-105.
The Baby Panthers took on an early offensive, 15-11, and built on their lead with the help of Ephraim Elorde who took most of the scoring cudgel in the first half.
It was no party yet, however, for the Baby Panthers after UC emerged all-out and chopped the lead down to 57-56 in the third quarter.
In the closing quarter, the win was just an arm’s length for the Baby Webmasters, who led by two in the dying seconds. A celebration was, however, hampered when USPF’s RJ dela Cruz dropped a buzzer beater basket that took the game to overtime.
In the extension, the UC Baby Webmasters, with the help of stalwarts Raymund Babad and Jeff Ryan Alviva, stopped USPF and took the game to another overtime when the game ended in another deadlock, 90-all.
In the second overtime, USPF’s Michael Cabatingan and the rest of the Baby Panthers had the final say, claiming the victory against UC. USPF’s Ephraim Elorde displayed a 29-point performance, while Michael Cabatingan and Henry Babiera each had 24 points.
Records
USPF registered its first victory after losing its first assignment. UC, on the other hand, now totes a 2-2 win-loss record.
In the other juniors match-up, the Cebu Institute of Technology Baby Wildcats bowed to the University of San Jose-Recoletos Baby Jaguars, with an 11-point lead, 61-70.
The Baby Jaguars remained in control of the whole game not giving up a quarter, keeping the lead from CIT.
USJ-R is currently leading the juniors division as it claimed its third victory against one setback.
