Prime Asia routs San Marino-CIT-U in Game 2 to wrest Partner’s Cup crown anew

The Prime Asia-University of the Visayas (UV) ramped up the momentum heading to their upcoming battles in the 2013 season of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) basketball tournament and the Summer Universiade in Russia.

This after the Green Lancers captured the preseason title in the Enervon Partner’s Cup with an 85-67 win over the San Marino Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT–U) Wildcats that completed a sweep of the finals series yesterday at the Cebu Coliseum.

It was the third straight preseason title for the Green Lancers, underscoring their dominance of the Partner’s Cup especially with the continuous absence of their chief rivals Southwestern University Cobras.

Unlike Game One, which they also won, 91-83, the Lancers threw down the gauntlet early in this game as they blew it wide open in the second canto.

The two protagonists were tied at the end of the first, 15-all, but the Lancers turned it up another notch in the ensuing canto behind the hot shooting of forward Chris Perolino.

With Perolino hitting his mark, the Lancers put some crucial separation between them and the Wildcats as they erected a 41-25 lead at halftime.

Making matters worse for the Wildcats was the apparent disgust of Wildcats head coach Gilbert Demape over the officiating, as he resorted to a smaller lineup in the second half, seemingly raising the white flag and handing over the win to the Lancers.

Perolino underscored his inclusion in the Mythical Five team by leading the way for UV with 19 points. Cesafi Rookie of the Year-MVP Wowie Escosio had 12 while Angelo Babia chipped in 11.

Floyd Taboada paced the Wildcats with just 11 points.