UV closes in on 7th crown

The University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers inched closer to a seventh consecutive CESAFI collegiate basketball crown after beating the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors, 80-68, in Game 3 of their best-of-five series last night at the Cebu Coliseum.

The Lancers will go for the crown in Game 4 tomorrow.

Bouyed by their dominating conquest of USC in Game 2, UV played heads-up basketball from the start and never allowed USC to settle down.

Coach Boy Cabahug employed an outside-inside game to break the Warriors. With Von Harry Lanete, Michael Luga, Chris Victor Diputado, Ritchum Dennison and Harlow Chad Villanil making eight triples among themselves, UV stamped its class over the Warriors for the second straight game.

With UV’s shooters peppering the basket, USC had to extend their perimeter defense enabling 6’8” Rico Berame and other big men free access in the shaded area.

The Warriors tried to get back into the game by snipping from beyond the arc but they missed the shots they were usually making in the previous games.

UV collared the rebound every time USC misses a shot then score on easy transition layups.

The Green Lancers led 45-32 at halftime.

Lanete paced UV with 21 points with Luga netting 13 points, Mepana had 12 and Diputado scored 10 points.

Enrico Llanto starred for USC with 16 points while Ramirez had 12 points.

The scores:

UV (Srs.) 80 – Lanete 21, Luga 13, Mepana 12, Diputado 10, Dennison 8, Villanil 7, Berame 7, Sendrijas 2

USC (Srs.) 68 – Llanto 16, Ramirez 12, Padayao 9, Lazalita 9, Hermoso 8, Codilla 6, Padillo 4, Gallardo 2, Joven 2

Halftime: 45-32