DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) made a beeline to the finals as they stomped over the University of Southern Philippines Foundation Baby Panthers (USPF), 79-61, in the semifinals of the Cebu leg of the Seaoil NBTC Elite League yesterday at the City Sports Club Cebu.
The final score belied how close the contest was in the first half, wherein the Magis Eagles led by just one, 34-33, at halftime.
But SHS-AdC showcased their veteran mettle and their awesome depth as they opened the second half with a 10-2 run anchored on big man Julius Cadavis and Patrick Go that opened up a 44-35 lead.
The Baby Panthers crept to within three once more, 41-44, but the Magis Eagles had an answer in Cadavis and another big man, Mavii Suarez.
A buzzer-beating perimeter jumper by Dave Wilson Yu put the Eagles on top, 59-48, heading to the final stretch.
The Magis Eagles dropped the hammer on their opponents in the form of a 14-2 run at the start of the fourth period that settled the game’s outcome for good.
Yu and Cadavis conspired with Go and Rendell Senining in that sizzling stretch that erected a 71-50 lead for them with 3:39 left.
Cadavis underscored his bid for league MVP with another outstanding performance of 17 points. Suarez chipped in with 14 while Go and Senining each had nine. Van Damme Mangaron led USPF with 16 while Jomari Gairanod had 11 in the losing cause.
The other semifinal pairing will see the top-seeded University of the Visayas Baby Lancers take on the Cebu Eastern College Dragons on Thursday afternoon./Correspondent Jonas Panerio