The reigning Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) basketball champions Southwestern University Cobras finally met their match in the 17th Sandugo-University Games as they fell to the National University Bulldogs, 67-74, at the end of the group stage eliminations yesterday in Bacolod City.
Back-to-back UAAP MVP Bobby Ray Parks, was unleashed upon the Cobras a day after playing in just 13 minutes and scoring just two points in his first game in the Unigames.
Yesterday, Parks scored 17 points and combined with incoming freshman, JJ Alejandro, who tallied 13 markers to deal SWU its first loss of the tournament. Guard Cedric Labing-Isa was also a headache for SWU with 10 points.
Cameroonian Ben Mbala and Melvin Goloran each had 12 markers to lead SWU which finished the group stage with a 3-1 (win-loss) record. Joseph Nalos and Monbert Arong each added 10 points for the Cobras which must now face the group D leader, University of the East, in the quarterfinals set at 3:30 pm today.
UE finished with a clean 4-0 mark after defeating the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos, 82-68, with Roi Sumang leading the way with 23 points.
In other games, the Adamson Falcons followed their 86-81 win over UAAP runners-up, University of Santo Tomas the other day with a, 100-63 victory over the University of St. La Salle.
The Polytechnic University of the Philippines also won over the University of Northern Philippines, 97-72 while the John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University defeated the Ateneo de Davao, 95-77. Holy Cross of Davao College trounced Hercor College, 95-84.