USPF Panthers oust UV Lancers in Naga caging

CEBU, Philippines — The University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers stunned the reigning Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) grandslam champions University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers, 103-92, to ease through the semifinal round of the 1st Naga City Inter-Collegiate Basketball Tournament on Monday night at the Enan Chiong Activity Center.

Led by the vastly improved Nigerian import Rich Managor who finished with 19 points, the Panthers actually figured in a three-way tie with the Lancers and the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters with identical 1-1 win-loss records.

The Panthers and the Webmasters, however, booked the semis tickets in Bracket A courtesy of their higher tie-break outputs.

Applying the points difference system, USPF emerged as the top qualifier with a quotient of +9 points followed by UC with -2. UV got -7 to crash out of the tournament that offers a total of P225,000 in cash prize to the top performing teams.

In Bracket B, the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars hammered the Southwestern University (SWU)-Phinma Cobras, 75-64, in their knockout match to complete the four-team semifinal cast.

Elmer Exchavez unloaded 18 points in the wire-to-wire victory of the Jaguars, who led by as much as 20 points in the third quarter.

In the crossover semis set for March 10, Bracket B topseed University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors will take on the UC Webmasters, while the Panthers will clash with the Jaguars.

The winners will fight it out  for the championship in a winner-take-all affair on March 17, while the losers will battle for third place.

The champion will take home P100,000, while the second and third will receive P75,000 and P50,000 respectively. EBV