Veteran shooter leads USPF Baby Panthers to first victory in Cesafi juniors basketball

The University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Baby Panthers leaned on the fourth-period explosion of veteran Rommel Diapera to help them defeat the University of San Carlos (USC) Baby Warriors, 88-77, in the juniors division of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (CESAFI) basketball tournament yesterday at the Cebu Coliseum.

Diapera, a volume-shooter who once notched a whopping 55 points in one game two seasons ago, scored a total of 36 points but it was the 10 that came in the final canto that proved to be the most crucial as the Baby Panthers bagged their first win in the tournament.

The game was tied at 61-all at the end of the third frame as Rey Arnejo tied the count with a coast-to-coast buzzer-beating layup. USC pushed ahead behind inside baskets from Daniel Majan and Justin Lim.

USPF did not flinch as they knew they had Diapera and the latter responded by scoring on a left-handed layup and four free-throws that put his team in the driver’s seat, 70-69.

USPF added a 10-2 blast anchored on putbacks from Winston Bolivar, the last one coming with just 2:04 left that gave the Baby Panthers an 80-73 lead. Diapera added a gorgeous reverse layup while Jomari Gaironod made two floaters in the last minute to completely bury the Baby Warriors.

USPF improved to 1-1 (win-loss) while  USC fell to 0-4.