Double delight for Magis Eagles SHS-Ateneo mauls UC to keep CESAFI juniors basketball crown

CEBU, Philippines – The Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles repeat as champions and they accomplished it in record-setting fashion.

Battering their foes on all fronts, the Magis Eagles decimated the University of Cebu Junior Webmasters, 88-53, in the deciding match of their best-of-three finals to successfully defend their juniors division title in the 15th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. men's basketball tournament yesterday at the Cebu Coliseum.

"I did not expect that we will win by that wide margin because I have so much respect for UC," said SHS-Ateneo coach Rommel Rasmo, referring to their 35-point thrashing of the Junior Webmasters that now stands as the most lopsided win in finals history of the league. "I just encourage my boys to play our game and to play the Magis Eagles basketball."

After parlaying a 16-3 start into a 42-24 lead at halftime, there's no stopping the Magis Eagles from decimating the hapless UC side as heady playmaker Travis Mantua greeted the third period with a 3-point bomb, sparking a blitzkrieg 13-0 attack to further tear the game apart, 55-24.

Overall in the third quarter, the Magis Eagles handcuffed the Junior Webmasters to only eight points while hitting 28 to mount an imposing 38-point bulge, 70-32, heading into the final 10-minute mark of the contest. Their biggest lead, however, stood at 41 points, 86-45, on John Emmanuel Chen's trey with only two minutes remaining.

"I'm so proud of my boys. I hope they will continue to play that way until they graduate," added Rasmo, who now have three championship belts strapped around his waist as Magis Eagles coach.

By the numbers, the Magis Eagles were simply fantasic, delivering a masterpiece of performance in pulverizing the Junior Webmasters into smithereens.

Top wingman Jed Cedrick Colonia unloaded 20 points laced with eight rebounds and three assists, but it was his consistent performance all throughout the season that earned him the Most Valuable Player award.

"I'm just happy that after everything we've done, our hard work finally pays off," said the 16-year-old Colonia, who automatically made it to the elite Mythical Five together with his teammates Travis Mantua and Eroll Pastor, Froilan Mangubat of UC, and Jancork Cabahug of the University of the Visayas Baby Lancers.

Alex Visser had a breakout showing for the Magis Eagles with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Pastor was equally impressive with 13 points and 13 points in the same way with Mantua, who submitted 12 points, eight assists, six rebounds and five steals in an all-around hardcourt brilliance.

UC coach Jover Samonte somehow threw in the towel after recalling his star players to their bench with still 6:25 left to play. Not even the presence of UC Chancellor Candice Gotianuy could fire up the spirits of the battered Junior Webmasters.

Though beaten to the pulp, the Junior Webmasters still gained a certain measure of respect for making it to the finals for the first time since 2008, which is already a feat in itself given the highly competitive field in the juniors division. (FREEMAN)