UC foils Don Bosco’s bid for history, enters semis
The Don Bosco Technology Center Greywolves were the ones chasing after history. The University of Cebu Junior Webmasters wrote it in the end.
The never-say-die Junior Webmasters staged what is by far the greatest comeback in the 16th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. men's basketball tournament, wiping out a 12-point deficit in the final four-minute mark of the contest to send the Greywolves packing, 75-70, in their super exciting knockout match that glued the fans to their seats last night at the Cebu Coliseum.
Aside from ending the season of the Greywolves, the Junior Webmasters also punched the remaining semifinal ticket and in the process position themselves to another round of grueling battle against three-time defending champions Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles, University of the Visayas Baby Lancers and the Cebu Eastern College Dragons.
The twice-to-beat Junior Webmasters appear to have learned their lesson well from their 64-77 setback to the Greywolves during their previous encounter as they raced to a blistering 11-0 start.
But what seems to be a smooth-sailing play turned topsy-turvy momentarily for the Junior Webmasters thereafter, with the Greywolves coming up with a vicious counter-attack to slowly chop the deficit down before eventually seizing the upperhand, 29-24, on an 11-0 blitz with 39 seconds left in the second period.
The Junior Webmasters quickly knotted the count at 31-all but the Greywolves launched a 13-1 blitz to mount a 44-32 edge. Despite repeated rallies by the Junior Webmasters, the Greywolves stayed in control and were on the verge of history with a 6553 advantage on a 3-pointer by JB Damolo at the final 4:23 mark of the contest.
But the Junior Webmasters got second wind and applying their trademark pressure defense, they forced the Greywolves to commit an avalanche of errors that they wisely turned into golden opportunities to come up with a Houdini-like escape.
Behind the valiant efforts of diminutive playmaker Gelmart Umpad, John Bryl Cuyos, Jumike Casera and Kyle Ordeniza, the Junior Webmasters detonated an 183 bomb that did not only put them back on top, 71-68, but also break the backs of Don Bosco with 1:03 left to play.
Down by just two, 70-72, the Greywolves had the chance to tie the count to change the course of the match in their favor but they committed a costly miscue during an inbound play. In the ensuing sequence, Juan Miguel de la Torre quickly fouled Umpad in an effort to but time with only seven ticks remaining.
After Umpad split his charities, lady luck still smiled at the Junior Webmasters as Casera got the offensive rebound and was subsequently fouled with only four seconds to go.
Taking over from Casera who can longer stand up with leg cramps, Yannick Enriquez coolly dropped his pressurepacked foul throws to seal the deal for the Junior Webmasters and at the same time send the once boisterous Don Bosco bench and their small throng of fans into funeral silence.
"It's our pressure defense, our bread-and-butter, that did it for us. Even though we were down with still six minutes left to play, I wasn't worried at all because I'm confident that my boys can deliver still. All we need was just one rally and I'm glad that it all happened," said a jubilant UV coach Joevir Samonte.
UC's balanced offensive was underscored by five players in double figures led by Cuyos with 19 points. Casera scored 14, Umpad and Ordeniza each had 12 while Luigi Gabisan contributed 10 markers for the Junior Webmasters, who foiled the historic semifinal bid of the Greywolves.
Though on a losing end, the Greywolves can still hold their heads up high for attaining a certain measure of success in transforming their role from league minnows to respectable contenders this season.