REIGNING Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) three-point king Tristan Albina connected four triples of his team high 15 points as the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers whipped NCAA’s Emilio Aguinaldo with an emphatic 95-74 win at the start of the 2nd Mayor Kim Lope Asis Collegiate Invitational Cup held at the Lope Asis Memorial Gym in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur.
The Green Lancers took advantage of the slow start of the Generals to build a 24-6 lead after the first quarter.
It took a triple and a bucket from Sydney Onwubere to wake up the offense of the Generals who quickly cut the 30-8 lead of UV down to 22-37.
However, UV recovered from the short lapses and went to outscore EAC, 18-3, to close the first half carrying a 55-27 lead.
Although the Generals showed better performance in the second half, UV proved to be too dominant as they protected the 20 plus lead until the final buzzer.
Rey Suerte, Geliant Delator and Joshue Segumpan added 10 points each while the rest of the 15-man line-up of UV made an offensive contribution of at least two points.
Jerome Garcia led all scorers with 16 points, and Francis John Munsayac added 11 points for the Generals.
Meanwhile, Xavier University Crusaders frustrated the University of Southern Philippines Foundation Panthers with a 100-93 decision.
Despite the 15-point production of Richie Managor, USPF could not maximize the minutes of its Nigerian center who collected three personal fouls in the first quarter.
The Crusaders were quick to take control of the game behind the hot hands of LJ Aquino and Billy Jadap who scored eight and nine points of XU’s 27-17 lead after the first quarter.
USPF managed to regain confidence and outscored XU 16-5 to take a 33-32 lead.
The lead changed hands seven times in the third until it settled for good on the Crusaders side at the 8:51 mark of the final quarter.