WILDKITTENS LUNGE INTO WINNERS’ LAIR
CIT-U earns slot among leaders at the expense of Warriors, 72-68
The Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildkittens arrested a four-game losing streak to make it to the winner’s column, while snapping the three-game winning run of the University of San Carlos (USC) Baby Warriors. They earned a thrilling come-from-behind 7268 win in the high school match of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) Season 2017 basketball tournament last night at the Cebu Coliseum.
The Wildkittens were saved by the clutch triple of Antonio Ancit Jr. in the final 27.8 seconds that gave CIT-U the lead for good.
USC was ahead, 56-53, entering the final period when CIT-U turned to Ancit for the needed points.
Ancit scored seven and Kim Trigue added five as the Wildkittens built a 66-64 lead entering the final two minutes of the game.
Mark EJ Dumandan scored the next four points for the Warriors to take back the lead, 68-66.
However, after a series of missed shots, Ancit was left wide open at the right corner for the clutch triple that put CIT-U ahead 69-68.
Coach Teroy Albarillo called a timeout to map a game-winning shot, but his gameplan was foiled by his own player, Johndel Balazuela, who took an ill-advised triple that was way off the mark.
Joseph Hermosa managed to collar the rebound after a brief scuffle for the loss ball, he was immediately sent to the foul line to stop the time at the 13.6-second mark.
Hermosa sank two pressure packed free throws to give CIT-U a 71-68 lead.
The Baby Warriors tried to score another triple, this time it was Agustine Salundaquit, who earlier sank seven triples, who made the attempt for game-tying triple.
However, with the pressure tied behind the attempt, Salundaguit’s shot also went way off the mark and Trigue grabbed the rebound and was immediately sent to the free throw line at the 6.7 mark of the game.
Trigue made the first but missed the second shot, as the Warriors had tough time bringing the ball to their court and failed to make a decent attempt as time expired.
Ancit scored 21 points including 10 in the final period and Trigue added 13.
Salundaquit was the lone USC player to make the double-digit mark, earning 21 points, all coming from the 3-point area.
The win improved CIT-U’s standings to 1-4, leaving the idle University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Baby Panthers as the lone winless team in the high school competition with 0-3 winloss record, while USC dropped to 3-2. /
DRIVE. Edmundo Banyuhay of SWU drives the ball against USC during the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. Season 2017. In the game between the CIT-U Wildkittens and USC Baby Warriors, the former ended the Warriors’ four-game winning streak.