Filoil Flying V Cup (umbrella): USC chalk up first win, beat UV

CEBU, Philippines - The University of San Carlos Warriors notched their first win in the preseason tourney in the expense of their fellow CESAFI team University of the Visayas Green Lancers, 77-71, in the Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup at the San Juan Arena yesterday.

Nico Magat led the Warriors with 17 points on a 3-of-7 shooting from threes, as Ian Ortega had 16 markers from a 3-of-5 three-point shooting from the field. Miguel Plata also had a 3-of-5 shooting from rainbow country to finish with 10 points, as African reinforcements Espoir Toyambi and Olago Shooster combined for 18 points and 11 rebounds.

"Hats off ako sa players namin," said USC coach Junthy Valenzuela. "Yung game plan namin, andun,yung heart at effort andun. Wala kaming masabi. Lahat binigay nila sa game na 'to."

A strong third quarter surge enabled the Warriors to lead by as much as 10 points, but the Green Lancers made a run in the payoff period to cut the deficit to just four, 68-64.

The re-entry of Toyambi and Plata in the six-minute mark of the fourth stifled UV's run and gave USC their breakthrough win.

The Green Lancers were led by John Abad, who had 25 of  his game-high 38 points in the first half to go with his seven rebounds.

But there wasn't much help coming from the rest of his squad, as Raffy Octobre added 11 points, as they saw their African imports Steve Akomo and Mpolina foul out of the game in the crucial stages of the fourth.

The scores:

USC (77) – Magat 17, Ortega 16, Plata 10, Toyambi 9, Shooster 9, Bensig 6, Laude 6, Rabat 4, Lim 0, Oleodo 0, Trozo 0, Pepito 0, Cortes 0, Rocha 0

UV (71) – Abad 38, Octobre 11, Mpolina 6, Amoquiz 6, Akomo 4, Perolino 2, Codilla 2, Marquez 2, Arong 0, Segumpan 0, Aguirre 0, Escosio 0, Cabanero 0, Suerte 0 –Philstar.com