Warriors pull off statement win over Lancers in CESAFI

CEBU, Philippines — The University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors opened their campaign in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) Season 26 basketball tournament with a stunning 81-68 upset of four-time defending champions University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers on Sunday, August 30, at the Cebu Coliseum.

Jhoernel Tangkay stole the show with a near triple-double of 18 points, 11 rebounds, and an amazing nine steals for the Warriors, who were firmly in control of the match since taking a six-point edge, 40-34, at halftime.

The Carolinians of coach Paul Joven stretched their lead to 62-50 after three quarters before it peaked at 16 points, 66-50, in the last nine-minute mark.

Three other USC players cracked double figures.

Real Aureo scattered 15 points, three rebounds, and three assists, James Paolo Gica added 13 points, three boards, and a dime while Jose Marie Tumabang added 12 points, four rebounds, one assist and two steals underscoring the Warriors’ balanced offensive performance.

AJ Sacayan paced the Lancers with 17 points, two rebounds and two assists. Former MVP Kent Ivo Salarda dished out a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double in a losing effort.

In the other collegiate matchup, the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildcats banked on an explosive second-half show to tame the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars, 71-55.

The Wildcats trailed by a hairline, 31-32, at the break but greeted the third period with a 7-2 blitz to grab the lead, 38-34, for good.

The boys of coach Felix “Donbel” Belano Jr. kept on pounding the Jaguars the rest of the way to breeze through a resounding 16-point victory.

Braebon Ali Thompson finished with 15 points, nine rebounds, and four assists for the Wildcats, who hammered the Jaguars in the final half, 40-23.

In high school play, Cedric de la Rosa dished out a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds with six assists and one steal to power the Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons to a 75-64 beating of the San Carlos School of Cebu (SCSC) Baby Warriors, while John Gregory Caresosa chalked up 13 points, six rebounds and two steals as the USJ-R Jaguar Cubs thrashed the Don Bosco Technical College (DBTC) Greywolves, 76-45. — (FREEMAN)