Tuesday, October 07, 2008 Jaguars finally roar By Marian C. Baring Sun.Star Staff Reporter
THE University of San Jose Recoletos Jaguars proved that they work better under intense pressure, embarrassing the University of the Visayas, 86-53, in Game 3 of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. basketball finals at the Cebu Coliseum.
Down two games in the best-of-five affair, with a huge crowd behind them—the faculty, a dancing drum corps, the entire student body and former USJ-R coach Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba—and a television coverage was enough to add pressure to last night’s game.
But the Jaguars brushed these aside to concentrate on the task at hand—staying alive in the league and extend the series to at least a Game 4.
This was what was going on in Luther Justiniani’s mind. One of the most reliable player of the Jaguars. Justininai crawled out of the slump he was as in and steered the USJ-R Jaguars to their emphatic win and UV’s worse loss in a Cesafi finals.
Explaining his slump in the first two games, scoring a petty four points in Game 1 and six in Game 2, Justiniani said he became pressured after trying too hard to work on USJ-R’s defense.
“I was thinking too much about the defense that I became too conscious of my shooting that I kept missing,” an all-pumped up Justiniani said after last night’s game.
Justiniani finally displayed the brilliance that made him one of Cesafi’s toughest wingman, scoring 25 points yesterday. Lyndon Gudez added 22 points for their first win in the series.
Challenge
This time around, Justiniani said that he prepared himself for a tough challenge.
“I knew there is more pressure this time because we might lose, but I prepared for this and I made sure that I am able to balance offense and defense,” said Justiniani, who earlier in the league, vowed to bring the title for USJ-R as a legacy before leaving the school.
Justiniani is among the eight USJ-R veterans playing in their last season.
Adding to the morale booster for the Jaguars was the presence of bemedalled coach Councilor Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba, who used to call the shots for USJ-R.
Although he simply brushed any credit aside, his mere presence, during the halftime huddle helped motivate the team.
“I went to the dugout and just listened to them,” Alcoseba said who applauded the Jaguars when the team made impossible shots.
Meanwhile, just like in Games 1 and 2, the Jaguars still jumped to an early lead, leading 14-4 midway in the first period. The Lancers tied the match at 18 but it was the last time they threatened the Jaguars.
