Webmasters boot out USC Warriors in controversy-marred semifinal match

Games Thursday:
Cebu Coliseum
5:15 p.m. – CEC vs. SHS-AdC (jrs.)
6:45 p.m. – SWU vs. UV (srs.)

The reigning champions University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters found themselves back in the finals for the third straight year as they eliminated the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors, 79-70, in the semifinals of the seniors division of the 2011 Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc.  basketball tournament late Tuesday night at the Cebu Coliseum.

While the win by the Webmasters was impressive, the real headline-grabber did not occur during the game but rather after it.

Cesafi commissioner Felix Tiukinhoy and his deputies Danny Duran and Julian Macoy got into an ugly heated scuffle and shouting match with USC head coach Mike Reyes, his assistants and some Warriors supporters.

As the final buzzer sounded, Reyes approached the referees to voice out his opinions regarding what he deemed to be inept officiating. According to the long-time USC coach, as he was talking to the officials and expressing his disappointment, Tiukinhoy came over and suddenly pushed him. Seeing the commotion, USC assistants Ryan Betia and Ron Vivar came to pacify things but the latter got pushed by Duran and challenged to a fistfight.

As the security personel tried to separate the quarelling parties, a USC supporter got into the heat of things and started to voice his displeasure over the actions of the commissioner from behind the barricade. Upon hearing this, Tiukinhoy charged the person and also started arguing with him as all hell started to break loose.

Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed and the situation did not escalate further.

“Last night, I really tried to remember if I was being too aggressive with the officials during that time and I really don’t think that I was,” said Reyes.  “Sinasabi ko lang na kung gusto nila, panoorin namin ang tape ng game at tingnan kung ilang beses nila kami tinawagan ng foul while binabantayan namin si (Junemar) Fajardo.”

Cebu Daily News tried to get the side of Tiukinhoy but he declined to issue a statement, pending the submission of his incident report to the Cesafi Board of Trustees.

The Webmasters leaned on the 37 points by Fajardo, 14 of which came in the final period.