Tables turn in round 2
Losing teams bounce back in Cesafi 2nd round
IT was all about payback as teams who suffered defeat in the first round avenged their losses in the second round of the 2014 Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) College basketball tournament yesterday in the Cebu Coliseum.
The University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors avenged its 69-67 loss to the Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras last Aug, 3 with an equally thrilling 57-56 win while the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars defeated University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters, 91-83, last night while the defending champions University of the Visayas Green Lancers dropped their might over the hapless Cebu Institute of Technology-University Wildcats for a 78-45 bashing last Saturday evening.
In their first meeting, USJ-R lost 96100 in overtime to UC, while UV suffered a 60-67 loss to CIT-U.
In the high school game, the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles remained unbeaten following an 8845 win over the University of Cebu Baby Webmasters, while the USJ-R Baby Jaguars kept DBTC Greywolves winless following a 106-44 win.
Just like their first meeting, the SWUUSC game was hotly contested from start to finish with the Cobras this time taking early control of the ball game to build a 15-12 lead after the first quarter.
However, USC bounced back with Congolese Espoir Toyambi scoring six points and Charles Pepito sinking four points for a telling 10-0 run that gave the Warriors the control of the match for the next 15 minutes.
This was done without their team captain Nico Magat, who was thrown out of the match for punching American Bendley Valdor at the 8:55 mark.
SWU regained the lead at the 3:09 of the third period following a 6-2 run, but USC quickly recovered it with Toyambi scoring six more points. Mark Anthony Tallo and Bernie Bregondo evened the game for the Cobras at 42-all at the close of the third.
With Toyambi leading the way for USC, the Warriors were once again dominating but his substitute, Cameroonian Shooster Olago was not in his usual form as his presence inside the court gave the Cobras several chances to score.
SWU took hold of the lead, 50-49 after a quick 6-0 run led by Landry Sanjo’s backto-back baskets. But Toyambi continued to hound the Cobras’ defense after he was reinserted into the game, scoring a fastbreak point at the 2:13 mark and making a steal that lead to Ian Ortega’s fastbreak layup at the 1:42 mark, that put USC up, 55-51.
Melvin Holper sank a triple for SWU 15 seconds later and Sanjo scored in a fastbreak after Olago lost the handle of the leather that gave SWU a precarious 56-55 lead.
However, Toyambi wasn’t finished yet as he scored the winning basket at the final 33.8 seconds and USC put up a good defensive stance the rest of the way to seal the victory.
Both teams are now tied at 5-1 winloss slate.
Toyambi scored the game 22 points on top of six rebounds, two steals and two blocks coming off the bench, while Sanjo topped SWU with 16 points.