Tigers hold off Webmasters Crusaders suffer double whammy in Bayugan caging

BAYUGAN CITY, Agusan del Sur, Philippines — The Vincare Pharma-University of Sto. Tomas (UST) Growling Tigers rode on a late game offensive surge to down the Phoenix Fuels Life-University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters, 78-71, in the Mayor Kim Lope A. Asis Collegiate Invitational Basketball Tournament 2018 at the Lope Asis Memorial Gymnasium here.

From the get go, the Growling Tigers and the Webmasters figured in a tightly-knit battle that resulted into several lead changes and a total of 13 deadlocks.

After the game’s last standoff at 66-all, however, the Webmasters folded up and scored only five in the final 5:34 mark of the contest.

An 8-0 blitz masterminded by Zachy Huang and Marvin Lee practically put the win in the palm of UST’s hands with a 74-66 advantage going into the final two-minute zone.

Daryl Shane Mesina drilled in a trey to end UC’s scoring drought but Beninian import Soulmaje Chobi-Yo and UAAP Jrs. MVP CJ Cansino made back-to-back baskets to seal the deal for the Tigers.

Renzo Subido scattered 17 points while Chabi-yo added 16 markers for the Tigers, who need only to beat the Mair Construction-Southwestern University (SWU)-Phinma Cobras in their next assignment to book a semis spot.

UC’s 6-foot-8 Cameroonian reinforcement Frederick Elombi unloaded 21 points but scored only four in the second half.

John Calvin Jabello finished with 14 points and Justine Dacalos had 11 points in a losing effort for the Webmasters.

Meanwhile, the Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan Crusaders suffered a double whammy that extinguished their semifinal chances in the four-day tilt that is among the highlights of Bayugan’s 11th Charter Day and Bayug Festival celebrations.

After getting crushed by the Madyaw Construction-National University (NU) Bulldogs, 60-93, the Crusaders fell prey to the SG ARQ Builders-Lyceum Polytechnic University (LPU) Pirates, 67-85.