Wednesday, October 24, 2007 USC recovers from Unigames Day One slump
THE University of San Carlos men’s basketball and volleyball teams must have woken up on the right side of the bed as each won their respective assignments in the 2007 University Games yesterday in Bacolod City.
The USC Warriors banked on five scoring machines for an easy 90-66 win over La Carlota College at the West Negros Gym.
The tandem of fiery guard Niño Ramirez and two-time Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. Most Valuable Player Enrico Llanto never fails to bring wonders for the team and two did it again as they led the bevy of double-digit scorers for the team.
Ramirez and Llanto scored 15 points each, while Earvin Ferraren and Giovanni Padillo also chipped in identical 11 points. Jomel Igao added 10 for their win.
Aside from the five, USC’s second team were also exhausted as Eddie Bakker, Carlo Padayao and Robert Codilla provided the fortress that kept LCC’s big men at bay.
The spiking Warriors, on the other hand, bounced back from their first day debacle and spent two hours and 30 minutes before hacking out a hard-earned five-set victory over St. Louis University of Baguio City.
The Warriors shrugged off a sloppy start to take their first victory, 23-25, 25-17, 25-20, 21-25, 15-10. The Cesafi’s defending champion still had difficulty finding their groove in the new surface and they kept committing mistakes.
Thanks to a warm and supportive crowd, the USC spikers were able to compose themselves to sweep the next two games and lead two sets to one. They bungled in the fourth set but recovered in the fifth to win.
“We had communication trouble early on. Our confidence was built up when we heard people cheering for us from the stands,” said team captain and MVP Roderick Arenasa.
Tougher challenges
It will be too early for the teams to celebrate though as tougher challenges await them today. The USC spikers will be facing University of Sto. Tomas in the morning.
The USC basketball team, on the other hand, will have its hands full as it is scheduled to play two games today. It will face St. Francis of Assisi in the 9 a.m. offering and will take on Ateneo de Zamboanga in the afternoon.
While things are going well with these two teams, it was not the case for the other teams.
At the Panaad Stadium, the USC football team bowed to University of St. La Salle, 1-4. USC struck first with the game’s first goal, but failed to capitalize as it eventually lost to USLS. (MCB)
