AS title-favorite University of San Carlos Warriors swept their first round assignment, the other title hopefuls University of the Visayas Green Lancers and defending champions Southwestern University Cobras will be gunning for the solo second place in the collegiate division of the 2015 Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) Basketball Tournament as they face each other at the Cebu Coliseum tonight.
In the opening match, the University of San Jose-Recoletos Baby Jaguars will play the Cebu Eastern College Dragons at 5:15 p.m. match.
USC pulled a 67-62 victory over the hard-fighting University of Cebu Webmasters last Tuesday evening with Shooster Olago sinking 22 points and grabbing 12 rebounds and Charles Pepito contributing 13 points and 12 rebounds for the Warriors’ sixth straight win to end its first round of elimination assignments.
The Warriors were tested to the limit with Melvin Botuhan sinking 18 points, Garciano Puerto Jr. making 12 points and Justine Dacalos finishing with 11 points as UC dropped to 2-3.
UV is still recuperating from a 79-69 loss last Saturday and will try to end its first round assignment on a bright note.
But the Cobras are tougher than its nine-man line-up.
Despite the lack of frontline toughies, SWU could not be counted out with Mark Jayven Tallo, Jovannie Aluz and Anton Pardo providing the needed points for the squad. Fil-Samoan Juju Bautista, Melvin Holper, Mark Racho and Kier Lorenzo Clam have been a solid presence in the middle and who helped SWU build a 3-1 win-loss record.
UV, however, has a 14-man deep rotation with its rookie players complementing with the veterans.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars will try to nail their third win in five games, while the Dragons seek to score their second win after suffering three loses in the high school competition.