Araw-Araw torches UV in 19-U finals

Arc Gabrielle Araw-Araw always seems to get up for games against rivals University of the Visayas (UV) and he did it once again as he scored the killer baskets in crunchtime to push the Central Visayas Regional Athletic Association (CVIRAA) high school team to a pulsating 85-79 win in the finals of the under-19 division of the 2013 ThreeSixty Pharmacy Cup last Monday at the City Sports Club-Cebu.

As he has previously shown in the finals of the juniors division of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) and the Cebu leg of the Seaoil finals, both of which were against the Baby Lancers, Araw-Araw was the biggest thorn on UV’s side as he averted a collapse and scored seven huge points in the last 2:04 to secure the win and the championship.

The Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu-manned CVIRAA squad had full control of the lead in the first half and at one point held a 14-point bulge, 43-29.

UV fought back and trimmed the deficit down to one, 76-77, after a Jan Soliva three-point play with 2:04 remaining. Sensing danger, Araw-Araw jumped right back into the action and countered with a booming three-pointer for an 80-76 lead.

UV refused to give up and came to within two, 78-80, after a basket by Ralph Dinolan, before Araw-Araw breezed past his defender for a lay-in and an 82-78 lead, 32.4 seconds left.

UV still had life after Jerome Napao split his freethrows but Araw-Araw shut the door on the Baby Lancers with two pressure-packed freethrows to seal the win with just 10 ticks on the clock.

Araw-Araw scored 21 points to lead CVIRAA.  Rendell Senining added 19.

In the game for third place, the UV Under 16 team added a second trophy for the season as it outhustled ACES, 66-56.

The ThreeSixty Pharmacy Cup 2013 is the flagship tournament of Season 6 of the Cebu Youth Basketball League (CYBL).