SURPRISE, SURPRISE. TAIL-ENDER HANDS UC ITS FIRST LOSS
After going winless in the first round, CIT-U hands league-leading UC Webmasters their first loss in stunning upset
The Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildcats handed the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters their first loss, 81-75, to drop the season’s biggest upset so far in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) in the Cebu Coliseum yesterday.
The Wildcats’ Kevin Peter Oleodo, Jemcerson Sable and Jessie Aloro delivered the needed buckets down the stretch to escape the league-leading Webmasters. It was only the second win for CIT-U following the victory against the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors four days ago.
Sable drilled a three-pointer after a putback basket from UC’s Kyle Fritz Ordeniza to tie the game at 71-all with 1:49 to play. John Calyn Jabello was quick to score a two-pointer in the paint to give the lead back to UC at 73-71.
But Oleodo answered with a corner trey before Darrell Shane Menina drove to the basket to give UC a one-point lead, 75-74, with 56 ticks left. Oleodo scored again, this time inside the paint with 44.3 left and CIT-U got back the lead.
CIT-U managed to stop the offensive play of the Webmasters on the other end and Sable shot a booming three-pointer from the top of the key and the Wildcats were up four, 79-75, with 13.5 left to play.
Menina made a costly turnover on an inbound that gave the Wildcats another possession, and Aloro made them pay with a two-pointer with 10 seconds left to seal the CIT-U’s victory.
Despite the loss, the Webmasters still sit on top of the standings with 8-1 (win-loss card) but can no longer gain an outright entry to the finals had they gone undefeated. CIT-U holds a 2-7 slate.
Aloro led the Wildcats with 23 points in an efficient 9-of-11 shooting from the field. He also had seven rebounds and four assists. Lefty-guard Kenny Rogers Rocacurva added 14 points.
Mark Christian Kong finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds, point guard Sable chipped in 10 points and six assists and Oleodo added 10.
The Wildcats were down 21-19 after the first quarter but Rocacurva and Aloro gave them the lead at the half, 41-38. The third quarter was a nip-and-tuck affair that ended with the Wildcats leading 59-56. /