UV TAKES DOWN USPF FOR PARTNER’S CUP JRS. DIVISION TITLE
UV Baby Lancers sweep the high school division finals series of the Cesafi Partners Cup after beating the USPF Baby Panthers in Game 2
The University of Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers made a comeback in the second half to take down the Organique-University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Baby Panthers, 80-65, in Game 2 and capture the high school division title of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) Partner’s Cup in the Cebu Coliseum yesterday.
The Baby Lancers scored 29 points in the third quarter to erase an eight-point deficit and turned it to 61-55 edge going to the final quarter.
UV opened the third quarter with a 10-4 blitz capped by back-to-back layups from Andro Actub, 42-47, which forced the Baby Panthers to call for time out. USPF answered with two consecutive buckets but UV’s Dave Basalo converted two free throws to bring the lead back to eight, 53-45.
UV made another push late in the third as Albert Sacayan hit a three-pointer. Beirn Laurente converted a layup off a steal to tie the game at 53-all with 2:21 to play in the third.
The Baby Lancers finally snatched the lead after Sacayan converted another trey followed with Joshua Yerro’s putback to return to the driver’s seat, 58-53, with less than two minutes in the third quarter.
UV continued to play at a high level in the final quarter. Actub, Yerro and Sacayan combined for five consecutive points to give UV a double-digit lead for the first time, 68-57, with about six minutes to play.
UV took a 12-point lead, 74-63, after Yerro scored from an uncontested layup with 2:17 to play. USP-F’s John Maglasang scored and Kyle Ochavo split a free throw to cut the deficit to nine, 65-74. But that was the closest USP-F could get.
After two free throws from Dave Basalo and Yerro’s two-pointer, Actub put the icing on the cake with an emphatic slam, 80-65, to the delight of the basketball fans in attendance.
“I just told them at the half when we are down to focus on our defense and to box out,” said UV’s head coach Delfin Pepito after the game. “Overall, we had a good performance this pre season.” Actub and Sacayan had 17 points each for UV. Actub scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half, while Sacayan had 12.
The other players for UV who hit double figures in scoring were Yerro with 16, Laurente with 14 and Basalo had 11.
USP-F, who made to the finals for the first-time in any Cesafi-sanctioned tournament, was led by Maglasang and Neon Chavez with 14 each. /