Noah foul triggers endgame melee as CIT-U beats UC in Partner’s Cup semifinals

The Prime Asia-University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers and the San Marino-Cebu Institute of Technology University (CIT-U) Wildcats took a step closer towards forging a championship rematch after they hurdled their respective opponents in the semifinals of the Enervon-Cesafi Partner’s Cup yesterday at the Cebu Coliseum.

While the unbeaten Lancers taught the Cebu Landmasters-University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors a neat lesson in winning 73-57, the Wildcats’ 101-79 win over the Gaisano Capital South-University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters was a fiercer contest that saw the latter’s import Arnaud Noah get ejected for an unsportsmanlike foul on CIT-U’s  Floyd Taboada with just 21 seconds remaining.

With time slipping away, Noah hurled himself at a dribbling Taboada and hit him in the face. The CIT-U bench howled in protest and surged at the repentant Noah, triggering a near riot that also included fans from the Wildcats’ side.

Eventually, cooler heads prevailed and the game ended peacefully. However, Noah’s ejection was a costly one as Cesafi commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy confirmed that the import will automatically be suspended for the infraction.

The Wildcats gained control early on as they sped off to a 53-33 lead at halftime behind the combined efforts of Allen Dimco, Vincent Menguito and Joshua dela Cerna, who did the damage inside while Taboada took care of the outside sniping.

But the Webmasters came back and sliced the deficit to just six, 60-66, after a fastbreak pull-up three pointer by Kido Cabrera with 2:06 left in the third.

CIT-U was undaunted and brought a 78-67 lead to the fourth stanza after consecutive three-point plays by dela Cerna and Dimco.

Menguito scored 26 to lead San Marino while dela Cerna had 19. Taboada and Dimco each added 18 points.

Noah paced Gaisano with 24 markers.