In a finish that was magical as it was improbable, the Southwestern University Cobras came all the way back from 18 points down in the fourth period to defeat the University of the Visayas Green Lancers, 73-72, in the deciding Game Five of the best-of-five finals series of the 12th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) men’s basketball tournament last night at the packed-to-the-rafters Cebu Coliseum.
Mythical Five guard Monbert Arong completed the amazing rally from a 45-63 deficit by hitting the go-ahead freethrow with 18.7 seconds remaining.
Arong nearly turned from hero to goat in an instant. After SWU got possession back off a double-dribble turnover by UV’s Franz Arong with 6.1 ticks left, Monbert Arong’s inbound pass went awry and fell into the hands of the latter.
Possession remained with the Lancers after the ball was tipped out of bounds by SWU’s Cameroonian forward Ben Mbala, with 0.7 left in the clock.
UV got the ball to Eman Calo, who banked in a three-pointer but officials ruled off the potential game-winner as it was not shot off in time, setting off a rousing celebration that marked the Cobras’ first title in this league since rejoining it in 2007.
It also erased the memory of their heartbreaking Game Five loss to the University of Cebu in the finals last year in a game that was also decided in the dying seconds.
The Cobras appeared out of it as they fell into a 45-63 hole after a two-handed slam dunk by Steve Akomo with 7:48 left in the game.
But all was not lost as SWU head coach Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba had a “heaven-sent Sto. Niño” up his sleeve in little-used guard John Pajantoy, who was inserted into the game late in the third and delivered the goods with his nifty layups and timely passes to Mbala that fueled the comeback.
A 14-2 run got the Cobras with six, 59-65, but UV remained composed and answered with an inside basket and a freethrow by Rookie of the Year-MVP Wowie Escosio and two more freebies by Akomo for a 70-61 lead with 2:16 remaining.
Still, SWU was relentless in their pursuit as two freethrows and a banker off a gorgeous spin by Mbala along with a floater by Arong off a steal got them within three, 67-70.
UV’s Phil Mercader momentarily stopped the bleeding with two makes from the charity stripe but SWU countered with a three-point play by Mbala that came off a great drop pass from Pajantoy. Mbala tied the game at 72-all on their next possession with an inside basket over the lanky defense of both Akomo and Escosio with 49.8 left.
UV had a chance at taking the lead but Mercader committed an offensive foul. SWU also failed to convert on their possession. Calo got to the looseball and tried to get the ball upcourt only to lose it to Arong, who was fouled by the former to stop the easy basket.
Mbala finished with 25 points and nine rebounds while Arong added 10. Pajantoy had eight points, six of which came in the payoff period.
Escosio paced UV with 14 markers but was a virtual non-factor in crunchtime.
“I had to gamble with three guards and Pajantoy came from heaven for us. He is the Sto. Niño of SWU. All-season long, he was a non-factor but he came through for us tonight. This championship is very special,” said Alcoseba, who won his first collegiate crown since steering the Cebu Doctor’s University Stallions to the title in the defunct Cebu Amateur Athletic Association (CAAA) back in the 90s.