Warriors, Lancers set up finals rematch in CESAFI

CEBU, Philippines - They have struggled all season long. In fact, they only ranked fourth at the end of the double elimination round.

But the way things are going, it seems that the best is yet to come for the defending champions University of San Carlos Warriors.

Faced with a win or die situation, the Warriors gamely rose to the challenge on the way to pull off an all-important 72-65 triumph over the University of the Visayas Green Lancers, 72-65, to keep their title retention bid alive in the 16th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. collegiate basketball at the Cebu Coliseum last night.

USC's win set up the stage for a finals rematch with the Lancers, who still advanced to the championship despite the loss due to their superior tie-breaker.

Even if the Cobras will win over the University of San Jose-Recoletos Jaguars in their game that was still being played as of this writing writing last night, it no longer has bearing as the Lancers and Warriors have higher tie-break outputs oapplying the quotient system.

Interestingly, the UV-USC duel was halted for nearly an hour at halftime as UV Lancers coach Gary Cortes was hesitant to continue play due to a suspicious writings - in bold red letters - on their locker room mirror that reads, "Ayaw mo papilde ha. Please..!!!"

Cortes noticed the inscription even before the game started, but later found out that it was already erased when they went back to their locker room for their customary halftime huddle.

Cortes perceived it as serious theat to his team especially that there had been earlier insinuations that they will purposely lose their game against the Warriors to drop the Cobras out of the championship race.

"Andam ko karon dayon nga mo-undang aning trabahoa kon ingon ani na man lang gani diay kahugaw ang basketball dinhi sa Sugbu. Kon simbako mapilde diay mi, wa gud ta kabalo sa dagan sa duwa. Para nako usa ni ka hulga namo ug ako ning seryohoson kay dili lamang ang ako hasta sab ang seguridad sa mga akong mga players ang akong protektahan," said Cortes.

After consulting with UV Basketball team manager Gerald Anthony 'Samsam' Gullas, Jr. though, Cortes agreed to get the Lancers back into action on condition that they won't suit up for Game 1 of the best-of-five finals on Saturday unless the CESAFI will conduct a thorough investigation on the incident. Also, police officers were added to beef up their security for the remainder of the match.

It was smooth-sailing at first for the Lancers as they took a 45-34 lead, but the Warriors, with utmost sense of urgency, retaliated with a searing 18-6 run to seize the upperhand, 52-51, with just a minute gone by in the fourth period.

The Lancers quickly regained a five-point edge, 57-52, but that proved to be their last hurrah as the Warriors countered with an 8-0 blitz to move on top, 60-57, for good at the final 3:25 mark of the contest.

The Lancers threatened for the last time at 64-65 with 1:12 left to play as the Warriors closed the game with a 7-1 bang to extend their season for at least three games and more importantly, take another shot at the coveted crown.

Last year, USC and UV figured in an epic championship showdown, with the Warriors, then coached by Britt Carlo Reroma, coming out victorious in the deciding Game 5 to clinch their first major basketball title in 58 years. (BANAT NEWS)