Cobras end Lancers' 3-year reign

CEBU, Philippines — A dynasty falls, a new champion rises.

The Southwestern University (SWU)-Phinma Cobras squandered an 18-point lead in the second half but relied on a courageous endgame fightback to dethrone the three-time defending champions University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers via a dramatic 64-60 win in the deciding match of their best-of-three finals series last night at the Cebu Coliseum.

With their monumental triumph, the Cobras did not only end their five-year title drought in the Cebu Schools Athletics Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) but also erase the four-peat dreams of the Lancers.

It was also the first taste of championship for Mike Reyes as head coach of the Cobras.

Reyes then was the assistant of coach Yayoy Alcoseba when the Cobras, bannered by two-time MVP Mark Jayven Tallo, snared the last crown way back in 2014.

“Siyempre it’s a big relief kasi when coach Yayoy left, it’s a huge rebuilding program for us,” said Reyes. “I then asked the SWU-Phinma management to give me three years and I’m happy that we delivered right on our target.”

The road wasn’t easy though for the Cobras before they scaled the summit of success.

They lost huge advantage twice, the last was at 40-22 early in the third period as the Lancers, fully charged after the short break, launched a momentum-changing 23-2 counterattack to seize the driver’s seat, 45-42, with less than two minutes left in the third stanza.

The Cobras regained the upper hand, 55-52, on nine rapid-fire points by league MVP Shaquille Imperial midway in the final period but Lass Coulibally rattled six straight points to put the Lancers back on top by a hairline, 58-57, at the final 3:55 mark.

That proved to be UV’s last hurrah as Gerald Fernadez and Dyll Roncal went 5-of-8 from the stripe to put the Cobras ahead by four, 62-58, with 32.3 seconds remaining.

After Coulibally scored on a quick two to push the Lancers breathtakingly close at 60-62, Gabriel Cometa committed a costly foul on William Polican with only 8.9 ticks left in the gameclock.

Polican then calmly sank his pressure-packed free throws to send the Cobras and their large throng of well-wishers into frenzied celebration as they finally savored the sweet nectar of crowning glory after a long wait.

As the final buzzer sounded, coach Reyes rushed onto Imperial as they wrapped each other in a tight hug that lasted for nearly a minute. Both were reduced to tears as they basked in the glow of such a precious moment.

“It’s all about heart,” said Imperial, who plans to serve his remaining year with the Cobras next season. “We never give up, we trust each other. That leads us to this sweet victory that I will forever cherish in my lifetime.”

Imperial finished with 13 points spotlighted with three triples in a row that kept the Cobras head above the waters in the face a spirited endgame attack by the Lancers.

Red Cachuela also figured prominently for the Cobras with 14 points as well as Roncal and Polican who tallied 24 markers across their names.

Coulibally topscored for the Lancers with 17 points while Sheldon Gahi and Gileant Delator scored 10 each in a losing effort.

It was some sort of a sweet sad refrain for graduating UV players in Gahi, Delator, Monic Soliva and Michael Maestre as they gave their all but failed to produce one last silverware in their swan song for the Lancers.