Cobras down Panthers for first win

Games today:

Cebu Coliseum

1 p.m. – SHS-AdC vs. Don Bosco

2:30 p.m. – CEC vs. USJ-R

4 p.m. – CIT-U vs. UC

5:30 p.m. – USJ-R vs. UC

The Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras still looked far from their championship-contender status but did enough to earn a 74-69 win over the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers in the 12th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. men’s basketball tournament last night at the Cebu Coliseum.

The team that many perceived to be one of the best this season flirted with disaster as SWU fell behind by as many as 18 in the first period.

But the Cobras, behind their two imports from Cameroon Ben Mbala and Justin Aboude, recovered to log their first victory after two games this season.

Mbala scored 15 of his 21 points from the freethrow line and added nine rebounds and three blocks.

He also provided the game’s most explosive highlight in the third period when he leapt over USPF forward Lawrence Escanilla and slammed home a vicious dunk off an alley-oop pass from Ben Ortuyo.

Aboude had a quiet 11 points, eight boards and anchored SWU’s defense with five blocked shots.

USPF fell to its third straight defeat. The Panthers were led by Joseph Sedurifa’s 11 points.

EAGLES DOWN DRAGONS

In the juniors division, the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles outlasted their bitter rivals Cebu Eastern College Dragons, 71-61, thanks to a 9-0 fourth-period run that spelled the difference in the tightly contested match.

SHS-AdC improved to 2-0 while CEC fell to 1-1.

CEC was within four, 59-63, in the fourth when the Eagles ran away with the game after two freethrows by Fletcher Galvez, a three-pointer by Rendell Senining and two putbacks by Dawn Ochea for a 62-49 lead with 2:58 left.

Ochea had 14 poins, 11 rebounds, a steal and a block.