SWU not taking UV lightly

IN SPITE OF LORDING it over their bitter rivals the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers all season long, the defending champions Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras are wiping the slate clean and will be starting from scratch when they tangle in the best-of-five championship series of the 13th Cesafi men’s basketball tournament tomorrow at the Cebu Coliseum.

SWU has had UV’s number since Game Three of the finals series last year and have increasingly imposed its will upon its green-clad opponents, winning all three of its encounters this season.

The Cobras beat the Lancers, 70-66, in the elimination round and swept them as well in the semis, winning 68-64 in the first round and 77-70, in the second round. All in all, the Cobras are on a 12-game winning streak.

Still, SWU’s champion head coach Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba is not taking any chances.

“The 12-0 streak is gone and it is back to zero. I always tell the boys that we are the underdogs when we play against UV because they have veteran players compared to my team which is composed of sophomores and juniors,” Alcoseba said in an interview yesterday following their practice session.

Though lacking veteran leadership, SWU’s neophytes have played beyond their years with the backcourt of rookie Mark Jayven Tallo and off guard Monbert Arong, a member of the Mythical Five last season, leading the way. Also stepping up in their starting roles are Fil-Canadian Adams Mohammed and African import, Landry Sanjo, who has been the rock upon which SWU has laid their foundation on.

On the other side of the fence, UV head coach Felix “Donbel” Belano, remains unfazed by the three losses to SWU this year.

“Championship games altogether, are different stories. I just told my team to get a win so that we can get over the hump and make our confidence level go up,” said Belano in a separate interview yesterday.  /Correspondent Jonas Panerio