Cobras, Baby Lancers beat respective foes to force deciding Game 5 in Cesafi Finals

Collegiate basketball in the south could not get any better than this.

This as the respective finals series in the juniors and seniors division of the 2011 Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. were sent to deciding Game 5s after thrilling wins by the University of the Visayas Baby Lancers and the Southwestern University Cobras yesterday at the raucous Cebu Coliseum.

The Cobras tied the best-of-five series in the seniors division at 2-2 after a heart-pounding 67-65 win over the reigning champions University of Cebu Webmasters in Game 4 yesterday. SWU is now on the verge of achieving history as the first team in league history to come back from a 0-2 hole in the championship round.

Likewise, the Baby Lancers turned the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles’ championship hopes into a nightmare as they emerged victorious, 65-60, to also tie their series at 2-2.

Now, a season that was largely forgettable has turned into one of the most engaging with the winner-take-all Game 5 looming on Tuesday at the same venue.

HISTORY BECKONS

COBRAS

The Cobras rallied from a 0-2 hole largely on the command and will of head coach Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba and the support of their fans. Now they are on the verge of capturing their first Cesafi title.

The Webmasters appeared hungry to close the series as they led, 20-11, in the first period. The Cobras slowly chipped away at the deficit and stood within two, 33-35, at halftime. They continued their barrage and grabbed the upper hand, 45-41, after back-to-back baskets by Rene Pacquiao and Bon Guillena and erected a seven-point bulge, 55-48, heading to the final canto.

The Webmasters took the lead back again for a while, 60-59, after two freebies from Luigi Bercede with 4:29 left. Later, an exchange of threes from Eleazar Armecin and Edward Pao pegged the score at 64-63.

A wide-open jumper from the baseline by Guillena at the 1:48 mark gave the Cobras a three-point cushion but UC’s Jan Auditor responded with a slashing move to the basket to slice the deficit back down to one. Armecin had a shot to extend their lead but missed a lay-in and on the other end, Brian Heruela missed on a potential go-ahead three-pointer.

SWU got the ball back and had Justin Aboude shooting a perimeter jumper with the shot clock expiring. On the battle for the loose ball, Guillena snatched the rebound. Later, Armecin made one of two free-throws for a 67-65 lead with 7.7 seconds left on the clock.

UC had a shot to tie as Heruela dribbled the length of the floor but missed a lay-up. He grabbed the board and had a wide-open putback but missed that as well as time expired.

Rene Pacquiao paced the Cobras with 15, Guillena added 11 while Justin Aboude had 10. The Webmasters got 15 from Fajardo, who was held scoreless for the rest of the fourth canto.