THE University of Cebu Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue (UCLM) scored the biggest upset by far this season after stunning the defending champion University of Cebu (UC) Baby Webmasters, 69-66, in the juniors division of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) at the Cebu Coliseum on Saturday, October 19, 2019.
With the game knotted at 66-all, Joseph Arth Nalos stepped in and played the hero’s role for the rookie team as he hit a dagger three-pointer with 3.6 seconds left to play that stunned UC.
UC had the chance to tie the game but Isaiah Miguel Blanco missed a tightly contested three-point attempt. It was UCLM’s first win in seven games while UC absorbed its first loss in eight games.
Despite the loss, UC still leads the team standings with a 7-1 (win-loss) record.
Nalos finished with a total of 16 points, Ryan Nemenzo had 17 and Kirt Jalalon added 14 for UCLM.
Daniel Boy Lapiz paced UC with 14, Allen Ray Gako chipped in 13 and Blanco contributed 12.
The other game also had a thrilling finish as the University of San Carlos (USC) Baby Warriors survived the hungry Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildkittens, 73-70.
USC escaped with the win despite missing four crucial free throws in the dying seconds. With USC leading 73-70, the door stayed open for CIT-U after Jaed Rori Buzon missed two free throws that could have iced the game.
But CIT-U couldn’t capitalize on the other end as it turned the ball over. USC’s Nathaniel Montecillo was fouled and sent to the free-throw line. He also missed both free throws, giving CIT-U another crack at the ball. This time, CIT-U had a clear three-point attempt but the shot went too strong as the time expired.
Montecillo led the way for USC with 20 points, Buzon and Chann Joshua Baruc added 14 each and John Lorreal Arculo contributed 11.
Jose Emmanuel Tongcos, Sol Jade Ivan Tirol and Darryl Clark Versales all scored 19 points for CIT-U. Tirol made all his 19 in the second half.
The Baby Warriors kept its playoffs hopes alive as they improved their win-loss record to 3-4, while the Wildkittens dropped to 2-7.
In the Under-12 division, the University of the Visayas (UV) and the University of San Jose- Recoletos (USJ-R) will face off in the championships next week after clinching the top two spots in the team standings.
UV finished the elimination round on a strong note after beating the Don Bosco Technological Center (DBTC), 56-34, to take the No. 1 seed. USJ-R escaped Cebu Eastern College, 54-52, to end the elimination on a winning note and took the No. 2 seed.
The top two teams will battle it out in the winner-take-all championship game.
DBTC and Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu will play for third place. (SunStar Cebu)