Game today:
Cebu Coliseum
5:30 p.m. – SHS-AdC vs. UV
When push came to shove, the veterans of the University of Cebu (UC) were the ones who fought the hardest as they towed the Webmasters to a title-clinching 60-54 victory over the gritty Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras in Game 5 of the best-of-five championship series in the 2011 Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. basketball tournament yesterday at the packed Cebu Coliseum.
With a crowd of more than 10,000 witnessing the finale of what has been a gripping title series, the Webmasters banked on the 12 points of Junemar Fajardo, a key layup by Luigi Bercede and two booming three-pointers from forward Edward Pao to deal the Cobras the death blow in crunchtime.
The championship was UC’s second straight. The Webmasters beat the powerhouse University of the Visayas Green Lancers last year for their first crown.
Fajardo, who struggled all throughout the match before his rousing performance in the fourth period, wound up with 23 points and was eventually named Most Valuable Player of the season. He was joined in the Mythical Five by teammates Bercede, Brian Heruela and the Cobras’ Eleazar Armecin and Rene Pacquiao.
The loss was a bitter pill to swallow for head coach Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba and the rest of the Cobras. They battled back from a 0-2 series deficit but fell short when their shots just would not go in when they needed them.
The Webmasters led early by nine, 20-11, in the second period and held on for a 28-22 lead at halftime. However, the Cobras recovered and gained the lead, 29-28, at the onset of the third period after a 7-0 run off the leadership of Joseph Nalos.
SWU eventually brought a 38-35 lead heading to the final period.
Then, Fajardo, in his final season for the Webmasters, decided to take over the scoring duties as he converted UC’s first 10 points in the fourth stanza that kept his team in striking distance at 45-46.
Three freethrows by Pacquiao and Bon Guillena gave SWU a 51-47 lead as the game neared its thrilling climax with less than four minutes left.
Later, Pao tied the game at 52-all with a straightaway three-pointer and Bercede snatched the lead for UC with a fastbreak score with 1:42 remaining.
Pacquiao tied the game for the last time at 54-all with a perimeter jumper but Pao hit another trey that put the Webmasters in front, 57-54, with 1:10 left.
The Cobras were not able to score during their last offensives. Bercede and Heruela sealed the title with clutch free-throws in the dying seconds.
Aside from Fajardo, Heruela also scored in double-figures with 11. Pao’s six in the last two minutes of the game were his only points of the game.
Pacquiao tallied 18 to pace the Cobras while Nalos added 11. The missing link was Armecin’s play as the wingman was held down to just six.
The game was delayed for 20 minutes at halftime as the crowd overflowed and were already seated all over the court. It took the patient prodding of Cebu City Mayor Mike Rama to sort the mess out and ensure the safety of the people.
Meanwhile, another blockbuster Game 5 is set to be played today at the same venue as the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles take on the University of the Visayas Baby Lancers for the crown in the juniors division.
The odds are just about even between the two squads after the Eagles won Games 1 and 3 while UV took Games 2 and 4.