Cobras devour Panthers

CEBU, Philippines - Despite their manpower shortage, the Southwestern University Cobras showed they can finish off a game with a blast in an 86-76 victory over the University the Southern Philippines Panthers in the 15th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. men's basketball tournament last night at the Cebu Coliseum.

Jesse Bausista fired season-highs 27 points and 17 rebounds, while Anton Pardo pumped in 21 points,including eight straight points that sparked a daring breakaway by the Cobras in between the third and four quarters.

The Panthers were actually in the thick of the fight for most of the way, even taking a 53-52 lead on Kim Bajamunde's basket with 3:14 left in the third period.

After SWU countered with a 11-2 spurt to gain an eight-point edge, 63-55, the closest the Panthers could come was at 68-72 as the Cobras staged a searing 13-5 run to post their biggest lead at 12 points, 85-73, with 1:10 left to play.

Star playmaker Mark Jayven Tallo finished with 18 points laced with 12 rebounds and four assists, while Giovannie Luz added 11 markers for the Cobras, who tallied their second victory in three starts.

Bajamunde netted 15 points and Brantford Borces banged in 14 markers for to no avail as the Panthers crashed to their third loss in a row.

Earlier, the University of the Visayas Baby Lancers hammered out a clinical 76-37 win over the Don Bosco Technology Center Greywolves for their second win in three games under the juniors division.

Ramesh Alfoque and Raul "Jancork" Cabahug combined for 27 point for the Baby Lancers, who effortlessly turned a 30-17 lead at halftime into a 36-point bubble after three quarters, 58-22, to eventually hand the hapless Greywolves their third consecutive loss.  (FREEMAN)