Suerte moves beyond luck
The 2016 MVP Rey Suerte carried the defending champion University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers on his shoulders as they escaped the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors, 73-69, in the men’s division of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) basketball tournament in the Cebu Coliseum yesterday.
Suerte poured in 13 of his gamehigh 29 points to bring the undermanned Green Lancers back to their winning ways with two consecutive victories to even their standing at 2-2 (win-lose) card after dropping their first two games.
Suerte was unstoppable in crunch time as he scored seven of the last nine points of the Green Lancers. After scoring on a drive, Suerte converted a three-point play with 1:43 left in the game to tie it at 68-all.
USC’s import Somtochukwu Managor split his free throws to give back the lead to the Warriors, but it was short-lived as UV’s guard Gileant Delator scored a two-pointer on the other end and UV was back on the driver’s seat, 70-69, with 1:20 left to play.
UV had the stop and Suerte was fouled and converted two free throws to bring the Green Lancers’ lead to three, 72-69, with 54.2 ticks left. UV’s pesky defense prevented the Warriors from scoring before Delator split his charities to ice the game.
UV’s import Bassieu Sackor contributed 16 points, while Raul Janckork Cabahug handed 11 points spiked by a three-pointer in the third quarter that tied the game at 47-all.
After USC’s Suarez scored a three-pointer, Sackor and Jafet Claridad each scored a two-point- er to give UV the first lead in the game at 51-50 late in the third quarter. UV finished the third with a 55-53 edge.
Warriors set the tone in the first half as they rushed to an 8-2 start and finished the first quarter with a 21-16 lead. The Warriors led as much as 13 points in the second quarter after Lucky Ecarma punctuated an 8-0 run with a trey, 29-16.
UV answered with their own 11-0 run anchored by Sackor, Cabahug and Suerte to get back in the game and bring down the gap to two, 29-27. The Warriors had a 3733 lead at the half.
Managor scored 16, Froilan Mangubat finished with 11 and John Reel Saycon had 10 in a losing effort for the Warriors, which dropped to 2-3 slate.