Wednesday, August 29, 2007 Zero-loss USC Warriors, UV Lancers showdown
THOUGH they have racked up six straight wins, the University of San Carlos Warriors will be eyeing a different statistic when they go up against the juggernaut University of the Visayas Green Lancers in the main game today at the Cebu Coliseum—No. 2.
The Warriors, which owns the best win-loss record in the league at 6-0, will be trying to be just the second team to beat the Lancers in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. when they clash today.
Aside from having the rare honor of beating the Lancers in Cebu, the Warriors will also be trying to gain outright entry to the semifinals should they end their elimination round campaign undefeated.
In the other game today, tailenders University of the Southern Philippines and Cebu Institute of Technology will gun for a better place in the standings at each other’s expense. USPF is currently sixth with a 1-4 mark, while CIT is winless in five tries.
Cesafi rules stipulate that a team who remains spotless after the first phase of the elimination round will sit out the quarterfinal round and earn outright entry to the semifinals.
From winning once in four years in the final year of the CAAA to being a contender last year, the Warriors are off to their best start in the Cesafi.
But standing in the way of the Warriors are the Lancers, who has lost only once since the Cesafi started in 2001.
And beating the Lancers is something USC hasn’t done in six years. They failed thrice last year, falling once in the finals and getting swept in the three-game championship series.
Reigning Most Valuable Player Enrico Llanto and partner Niño Ramirez will have their hands full as they try to lead the Warriors past a solid UV lineup that boasts of the impressive rookie, Michael Luga, wily point guard Chris Diputado, and veteran centers Ariel Mepaña and Rino Berame.
Aside from the four, UV coach Elmer Cabahug also has another ace up his sleeve—6-foot-9 Fil-Am Gregory Slaughter.
Though Llanto and Ramirez will have Edward Bakker, Ryan Padayao and Dennis Ferraren for backup, the depth of the UV bench could swing the tide for the Lancers’ sixth straight win in the elimination round, ending the Warriors’ surprising run. (ML/ESL)
