THE University of the Visayas Green Lancers made sure its Thursday night would be twice as nice as it defeated the Cebu Institute of Technology-University Wildcats, 105-65 in the 2019 Cesafi men’s basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum.

Not long after its high school squad, the Baby Lancers, won over the University of Southern Philippines Foundation Baby Panthers, the Green Lancers put forth a spirited effort in the second half to capture the win and raise their win-loss record to 2-1.

CIT-U, meanwhile, remained winless after three games this season.

The Wildcats showed a lot of fight in spite playing without a foreign player and stayed close, 41-44, after Jemcerson Sable canned a triple not long after halftime.

However, UV’s size, heft and talent advantage began to take its toll on CIT-U’s defense as Lass Coulibally asserted his presence inside, while Mike Maestre, Jancork Cabahug, Gileant Delator, Joshua Gellacone and Gabriel Cometa all took turns scoring points in a massive 31-6 fightback that blew the game wide open and raised the Green Lancers’ lead to 28, 75-47.

From that point on, UV kept its foot on the gas pedal and cruised to the 40-point victory.

Coulibally, who hails from the Ivory Coast, led the Green Lancers with 23 points and 15 rebounds. Jancork Cabahug and Gileant Delator had 16 points apiece while Melvin Butohan added 10.

Sable led CIT-U with 14 markers. (SunStar Cebu)