Games today:
Cebu Coliseum
5 p.m. – USC vs. SHS-AdC (Jrs.)
6:45 p.m. – UV vs. CEC (Jrs.)
There’s just no stopping the Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras.
The defending champion Cobras took a step closer towards returning to the finals by registering their second win in a row in the semifinals, beating bitter rivals the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers, 68-64, in the 13th Cesafi men’s basketball tournament last night at the packed Cebu Coliseum.
Clearly, the Cobras have the Lancers’ number as UV has not beaten SWU since Game Three of last year’s championship series. Yesterday did not yield a different result as the Cobras broke away from their opponents by scoring the first 10 points of the fourth canto and then held on to the win in spite of several lapses during crunchtime.
Mark Jayven Tallo lifted his stock once again as he scored a game-high 21 points on top of six rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block.
African import Landry Sanjo was also a key figure in the victory as he tallied 18 points and added 14 rebounds, six blocks, two assists and two swipes.
In the first game, the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors logged their first win in this round after routing the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars, 80-62.
Stephen Que paced the winners with 21 points while reinforcement Ahmed Salihou had 19 points, 14 boards and four blocked shots.
The first round of the semis of the juniors division wraps up today with a pair of potentially-explosive match-ups.
The Cebu Eastern College Dragons hope to complete a sweep of their assignments when they battle the UV Baby Lancers while the reigning titlists Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles and the USC Baby Warriors gun for their second win in three games against one another.