USC takes third spot after elimination round with 80-59 rout of USJ-R Jaguars

Games today:

USJ-R Basak

5 p.m. – UV vs. UC

6:45 p.m. – USC vs. CIT-U

The University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors emphatically took the third seed heading to the quarterfinal round as they battered the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars, 80-59, at the close of the elimination round of the 13th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. men’s basketball tournament last night at the Cebu Coliseum.

The Warriors got off to a fast start and repeatedly turned back several comeback attempts by the Jaguars to claim the win and finish the elimination round with a 4-2 (win-loss) record.

USC will face off against the sixth-seeded University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters on Friday, armed with a twice-to-beat advantage.

USJ-R, on the other hand, will face the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildcats tomorrow. The Jaguars will also have a twice-to-beat bonus by virtue of their top four finish.

Victor Rabat got the Warriors off to a fast start by scoring seven of his 19 points in that pivotal first period. He also sealed the victory with a three-pointer, his fourth of the game, that put USC on top by 20, 70-50, with 4:51 remaining.

Import Ahmed Salihou and Stephen Que tallied 12 points each while Christian Laude chipped in 10 markers for USC, which set the tone of the game early as they led, 17-4. The Jaguars came within nine on several occasions but the Warriors broke the game wide open with a 14-0 blast led by Rabat, Que and Ian Ortega for a 56-32 lead late in the third.

USJ-R was led by the 12 of Miguel Tabaloc and the 11 of Christian Parker.

In the juniors division, the UC Baby Webmasters spoiled the Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons’ bid for the second seed with a 77-72 win.

Justine Dacalos was the biggest thorn on CEC’s side as he scored 29 points to push UC to a 3-5 record, good for the seventh seed in the next round.

UC will be tangling with the second-seeded University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers (6-2) while the third-seeded USC Baby Warriors (6-2) will be facing off against the CIT-U Wildkittens (3-5).

Both UV and USC will be armed with a twice-to-beat advantage. The Dragons’ loss dropped them to 5-3. Worse, it had dire consequences as they now must face the fifth seeded University of Southern Philippines Foundation Baby Panthers in the quarterfinal round.