UV, Shs-ateneo set up title match in Three sixty caging

It was a day of the second-seeded underdogs as they ousted the top seeds in the crossover semifinals of the Threesixty Pharmacy Cup 2012.

Leading the pack in the 16- Under division was Group A second seed University of the Visayas (UV), which rallied with 16 seconds left to eke out 6158 win over Group B topseed USC South-a.

In the other semifinal match, Group B second seed Sacred Heart SchoolAteneo de Cebu 1 (SHSADC) hung on tough to topple Group A topnotcher Cebu Eastern College ( CEC), 54- 50, and thus arrange a title showdown of second seeded teams of the elimination round.

Down 54-58 with 21 seconds left in the game, UV used a stifling full-court press to cause successive turnovers and converted these to precious points.

Leonard Santillan made it 56-58 with two free throws, then Ralph Dinolan tied the game at 58-all after another steal coming off the press.

UV caused yet another turnover with USC South fouling Santillan while attempting a lay-up. He split his charities to give UV a 59- 58 lead with four seconds left, then UV got the offensive rebound of the missed second free throw and Gerald Fernandez made two freebies for the final 61-58 tally with two seconds left.

In the other game, SHS-ADC 1 surprised CEC by taking early control of the game, leading by as many as 10 points in the first half.

But CEC cut the lead to six, 28-22, at halftime. The lead was maintained at 3731 at the end of the third quarter. CEC pulled within 48- 50 late in the fourth quarter, but the Magis Eagles found a way to stop the rally, grabbing timely offensive rebounds and making their free throws to ice the game.

The UV-SHS Ateneo finals is the second between both teams as they also met for the Cebu Passerelle championship in October 2011. Both teams have however tinkered with their line-ups since then.

In the 13- Under division, Group B second seed UV ousted the undermanned Group A top seed SHS-ADC-A, 56-35, to record its first ever trip to a championship match in its two years of existence in the SBP.

Group B top seed CEC however, spoiled the day of underdogs as it weathered an end-game rally to defeat Group A second seed USC South-a, 56-50, in the other semifinal game of the 13Under division.

CEC is now looking to repeat its 37-35 win over UV in group play earlier in the tournament.

In the 10- Under division, USC North and USC South had set a title showdown between themselves at the end of group play last week.

In the newly-launched 19-Under division, USC/ RDAK used the full might of its deep bench to outscore Symmetry Fitness Center/usj-r, 62-55, in the opening game.

The game was nip and tuck for the first half with the Warriors taking a 26-26 halftime lead. USC/RDAK’S deep bench then stepped up against the Jaguars’ 10man rotation in the third to take a 45-38 lead after three periods, and increasing this to as many as 10 in the final canto. (PR)