Wednesday, October 08, 2008 USJ-R looks to even finals series in Game 4 today
LOSING in Game 3 of the championship series of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation (Cesafi) is something the University of the Visayas Green Lancers head coach Elmer “Boy” Cabahug, is not ready to tolerate, as he prepares his troops to face a pumped up University of San Jose Recoletos Jaguars in Game 4 tonight at the Cebu Coliseum.
“I will not allow to lose like that again. My players just became too confident. I told them beforehand that USJ-R will not give Game 3 to us in a silver platter. I was so certain they will fight hard,” Cabahug said.
USJ-R broke UV’s 1-3-1 defensive alignment and suddenly became charged with power for them to slice UV’s lead in the series, 1-2, to keep their title bid alive.
Cabahug admitted that their performance last Monday, where they lost by 33 points over the Jaguars, was their worst yet this year.
“My first stringers performed below par and did not reach my expectations. USJ-R improved compared to the first two games. So it is our turn to make adjustments,” said Cabahug.
In Game 3, UV’s behemoth center Greg Slaughter, and USJ-R’s wingman Luther Justiniani, virtually traded places, as Slaughter, who averaged 26 points in the first two games, could only come up with two points, while Justiniani, who struggled in the first two games with just a combined 10 point-production, scorched hot with 25.
UV’s backcourt Von Lanete and Chris Diputado also did not help as they only had a combined 10 points, while Ritchum Dennison failed to score a single basket.
The Jaguars need to ignite this spark of hope they earned from their huge comeback win to keep their title bid alive.
Justiniani also needs to keep his energy high to help power USJ-R to another victory and force a deciding Game 5.
Acrobatic playmaker Armand Ponce–who once more turned into his old fearless self as he displayed moves defying the lowpost force of Slaughter–Lyndon Gudez, Jan Malinao, Jabe Delfino and Manny Gabas, must equal the intensity that Justiniani is showing to help steer USJ-R and extend this series. (MCB)
