UV grabs Cesafi lead with win over USJ-R

Games today:

Cebu Coliseum

1 p.m. – Don Bosco vs. USC (Jrs.)

2:30 p.m. – CEC vs. USPF (Jrs.)

4 p.m. – UC vs. UV (Jrs.)

5:30 p.m. – USC vs. USPF (Srs.)

The University of the Visayas Green Lancers nabbed the top spot in the standings as they survived the gritty University of San Jose-Recoletos Jaguars, 89-76, in an intense game in the 12th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) men’s basketball tournament last night at the Cebu Coliseum.

The Green Lancers built several double-digit advantages at different stages of the game but had to buckle down and fight off the Jaguars to push their unblemished record to 4-0 (win-loss).  USJ-R dropped to 3-1.

Cameroonian Steve Akomo tallied 20 points and eight rebounds while Wowie Escosio added 13 markers, nine boards and three assists for UV.

In the juniors division, the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles hiked their record to 5-0 after beating the Cebu Institute of Technology Wildcats, 81-59.

The University of Southern Philippines-Foundation also creamed USJ-R, 80-61 while the University of San Carlos  defeated the Cebu Eastern College Dragons, 76-63.

USJ-R came to within five with under two minutes left in the game after trailing by 12, 69-81, at the 2:43 mark of the fourth canto.  But the Jaguars had nobody but themselves to blame for the loss as they shot a horrendous 15-of-36 from the freethrow line.

UV started to pull away in the second period, where it finished it with a 10-0 run that erected a 48-38 lead at halftime. The lead went higher at 13, 60-47, after a three pointer by Jerome Silva and a freethrow by Franz Arong.