Teams Slaughter, Desiderio shine brightest among stars

CEBU, Philippines — Team Slaughter and Team Desiderio shone the brightest among all stars during the 18th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) All-Star Games yesterday at the Cebu Coliseum.

Rey Anthony Suerte of the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers representing Team Slaughter sparkled with 21 points on top of eight assists, six rebounds and two steals to snatch his second straight All-Star Most Valuable Player trophy.

Jaybie Mantilla of the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars   nearly came up with a triple-double with 17 points, nine assists and eight rebounds for Team Slaughter, which never looked back after establishing a 55-42 advantage at the bend.

Team Slaughter kept its offensive fire burning in the third period to raise their lead to 20 points, 92-72, on three consecutive 3-point bombs by Mantilla. Team Fajardo couldn't get any closer than 16 points.

Jafet Claridad and Jiezel Tarrosa and Juan Miguel Gastador of USJR also had signifiant contribution for Team Slaughter with a combined total of  33 points.

John Reel Saycon of the USC Warriors, who topped the 3-point shootout, paced Team Fajardo with 14 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, while Kenny Rogers Rocacurva of the CIT-U Wildcats, John Calvin Jabello of the UC Webmasters and Ralph Jude Dinola of USJ-R all scored 13 in a losing effort.

In high school division, Joshua Yerro, Gabriel Cometa and Mar Leandro Actub of the UV Baby Lancers masterminded a devastating third-quarter attack to catapult Team Desiderio to a 110-86 trouncing of Team Tallo.

Team Desiderio got off to an ice-cold start resulting to a 21-point deficit, 33-54, at halftime.

After the short break, however, a seemingly full-charged Team Desiderio woke up from deep offensive slumber, with Yerro, Cometa and Actub conspiring for 30 huge points in a deadly 42-15 blast that suddenly pushed them ahead by six, 75-69, going into the final 10-minute mark of the contest.

Team Desiderio further clobbered the staggering Team Tallo in the windup where it let loose a knocking 37-17 blow to seal their 24-point romp.

Yerro, who grabbed the All-Star MVP award, paced Team Desiderio with 24 points. He was backed up by Actub and Beirn Anthony Laurente with 15 points each and Cometa, who pitched in 14 markers.

It was a double celebration for Actub who earlier won the Slam Dunk contest. (FREEMAN)