Prime Asia nears title

The Prime Asia-University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers stand a win away from capturing yet another championship in the Enervon-Cesafi Partner’s Cup as they slipped past the resilient San Marino Corned Tuna-Cebu Institute of Technology University (CIT-U) Wildcats, 91-83, in Game One of the best-of-three finals series last night at the Cebu Coliseum.

The defending champions blew the game open in the third period but had to show poise and composure near the endgame in the face of a furious comeback attempt by the Wildcats in order to draw first blood in this brief series.

The Lancers held a 40-33 lead at halftime then came out of the dugout with renewed purpose as they unleashed a 13-3 run anchored on the hot hands of forward Chris Perolino, who at one point scored eight straight to put them up 53-33.

UV kept on pounding the ball inside and scored at will with Arvie Cabanero, Vincent Mendoza, African import Mike Harry and Rookie of the Year-MVP Wowie Escosio joining in on the scoring parade to maintain a 19-point bulge, 73-54, heading to the final canto.

But the Wildcats persevered and battled right back to cut the deficit to six, 83-89, behind makes by Floyd Taboada, Vincent Menguito, Joshua dela Cerna and Allen Dimco, with 20.4 seconds remaining.

However, UV proved to be too much to handle as high-leaping import Steve Akomo punctuated the win with a thunderous slam dunk in the team’s next offensive.

Perolino and crafty guard John Abad had 19 each to lead the Lancers of head coach Felix Belano while Escosio and Akomo had 11 and 10 markers, respectively.

CIT-U got 25 from Taboada, 21 from Dimco, 18 from dela Cerna and 15 from Menguito, but got very little else from the rest of the squad.

In the first game, the Cebu Landmasters-University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors won third place honors with a 79-75 win over the Gaisano Capital South-University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters.

Nico Magat led the Warriors with 23 to offset the 37-point explosion of UC’s import Arnaud Noah.