UV starts strong in SBP Passerelle hoops

CEBU, Philippines - The University of the Visayas opened up the defense of its double championships by scoring wins on opening day of the 32nd SBP Passerelle Twin Tournament backed by Milo. UV halted Don Bosco, 46-40 in the Small Basketeers Philippines (SBP) division, then waylaid Abellana National School, 75-30 in the Passerelle division.

The UV SBP Lancers went to Daniel Padilla to start the game hot and then to thwart a furious Don Bosco rally in the endgame to kick off its drive for a third straight championship. Padilla dominated the first period giving UV an 18-3 lead but Don Bosco crawled back to cut the lead to 33-31 at the end of the third quarter.

With Padilla back in fourth quarter, UV staved off the Don Bosco rally for the win. Padilla led all scorers with 19 points as Sid Reroma had 16 for Don Bosco. It was cruise control mode for the UV Passerelle team as they controlled the game from the get-go building a 34-15 halftime lead then increasing this to 62-18 after three quarters.

The trio of Ronan Madanguit, Samuel Melicor and Mike Monton had ten points each to lead UV, while Ricardo del Mar and Christopher Peñalosa had six each for Abellana.

In the other SBP game, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu also debuted with a win over the University of San Carlos, 73-40. After a slow start taking a 12-11 lead after the first period, the SBP Magis Eagles broke open the close game with a big second quarter, taking a 35-12 halftime lead. The lead ballooned to 57-23 after three periods.

Erik Jabalon and Jared Bahay led the team with 12 and 11 points, respectively. Alfred Rosal led USC with 13.

In a close Passerelle division game, SHS-Ateneo blew a 15-point lead then recovered just in time to outlast USC, 63-58. Up ahead 47-32 at the end of the third quarter, the Magis Eagles collapsed and allowed USC to take control of the game and take the lead at 55-53 with 2:12 left in the game.

LA Casinillo scored four straight points to give SHS-Ateneo a 57-55 lead but Reinhard Jumamoy replied with a booming triple for a 58-57 score with 1:23 remaining. Kurt Laput sank two free throws to give SHS-Ateneo a 59-58 lead, 1:07 left. After USC missed on its succeeding offensive sets, the Magis Eagles iced the game with free throws as USC fouled to stop the clock.

Rey Marcus Fuentes led a balanced Magis Eagles offense with 10 points. Jumamoy led USC with 19. 

In the other Passerelle division games, Don Bosco defeated Cebu Eastern College, 36-24 with Vincent Escobido and Kadhsein Tagalog combining for 10 points. Southwestern University-PHINMA edged out USPF, 60-55, with Job Reyes and Carl Jala scoring 10 apiece.

The Cebu leg of the 32nd SBP Passerelle Twin Tournament backed by Milo will run until mid-September, with the champion playing in the Visayas Regional Finals in Iloilo October 7-8. (FREEMAN)