SWU Cobras outlast UV Lancers to extend Finals to rubbermatch
Like a bad movie on perpetual replay, the Southwestern University Cobras built double-digit leads in the fourth period only to watch in horror as the University of the Visayas Green Lancers took them all away.
However, this time around, the movie had a different ending, thanks to Cameroonian Ben Mbala and Bernie Bregondo, whose crucial makes in the dying seconds pushed the Cobras to a, 68-64 victory in last night’s Game Four that sent the best-of-five Finals series to a deciding Game Five in the 12th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (CESAFI) men’s basketball tournament at the rowdy Cebu Coliseum.
In a series that has seen the heart, the passion and the will of both teams tested to the limit, it was only fitting that this series pitting these age-old rivals would get sent to a winner-take-all duel. But it nearly didn’t happen as SWU went back to its old habits and wasted a double-digit lead in the final canto for the third straight game.
The Cobras led by as much as 14 points in the first half and still had a 58-47 advantage heading to the payoff stanza after a 10-0 run at the end of the third instigated by both Mbala and Bregondo.
But UV, whose wins in these series were of the come-from-behind kind, rallied once more and unleashed a 15-2 blast capped off by four free-throws by Mythical Five forward, Jerome Silva, which gave them a, 64-62 lead, 2:07 remaining.
MBALA TO THE RESCUE
Just when all seemed lost for the demoralized Cobras, Mbala injected energy into their title quest as he fished a foul on a ferocious drive and calmly sank two free-throws to tie the game at 64-all. SWU regained possession and went to Bregondo who quickly drove it to the rack for the go-ahead lay-in, 66-64, 29.4 ticks on the clock.
UV sued for time but their possession provided zilch as Eman Calo airballed his attempt from beyond the arc. Monbert Arong, SWU’s Mythical Five guard, then sealed the win with two free-throws with 6.8 seconds remaining. He finished with 18 points after going scoreless in Game Three.
Mbala atoned for his sub-par performances in the last two games with 23 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots. UV got 17 from MVP-Rookie of the Year Wowie Escosio, who in this series, has made just one single free-throw. Calo had 13 markers.
GAME 5 MOVED, UV OBJECTS
However, there appears to be some controversy regarding the staging of Game Five, which originally was scheduled to be played today. But according to tournament official, Danny Duran, the game was cancelled and moved to Saturday, a move that was strongly objected to by Congressman and UV president, Eddie Gullas.
“UV objects to the postponement of the game. The schedule was arranged before the start of the championship round. The UV Lancers will be at the Cebu Coliseum, ready to play tomorrow as scheduled. We understand that two of SWU’s players are injured but that’s part of the game,” said Gullas in his statement immediately after the game.
