THE University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers grabbed the 1st Minglanilla Mayor’s Cup Inter-collegiate Christmas League title after a 104-99 win over the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters at the Minglanilla Sports Complex last Saturday, Dec. 15.
Rey Suerte, who is poised to join the PBA D-League Rookie Draft in January, ended his UV career with 34 points, while Johncork Cabahug and Toto Segumpan combined for 35 points.
It was the UC Webmasters of Rockey Alcoseba who got to the lead first as they took a 10-2 advantage thanks to the hot shooting of Tristan Albina.
However, the Green Lancers started chipping away the lead and got the edge when UC’s ace Jan Jabello limped out injured after falling awkwardly in the final 2:45 of the third quarter.
Jabello, who had 17 points at that point, was immobilized for a few minutes before he was brought on a stretcher and sent to a hospital. Though UC tried to keep on fighting, the loss of Jabello was clearly felt on the offensive end as they couldn’t keep up with the Lancers.
Suerte was named the Most Valuable Player of the week-long tournament and made the Mythical Five along with Cabahug, Albina, Alfred Batuhan and Shane Menina.
In the first game, the University of Southern Philippines Foundation got third place with an 88-61 rout of Southwestern University-Phinma Cobras, 88-61.
Aside from the champion’s trophy courtesy of Jerry Oberes, UV got P100,000, while UC won P60,000. USPF got P30,000 for finishing third and SWU settled for P15,000. Mayor Lani Peña of Minglanilla led the awarding ceremony together with Concordio Mejias, the municipal administrator. Peña also said the Christmas League will be staged again next year. (JBM from SuperBalita Cebu)