UC juniors lash back at UV, claim Cordova cage crown

CEBU, Philippines - With their backs against the wall, the University of Cebu Junior Webmasters wisely utilized their full force to lash back at the short-handed University of the Visayas Baby Lancers, 79-62, in Game 2 of their best-of-three finals series in the 1st Mayor Techei Sitoy-Cho Cup last Sunday night at the Cordova Sports Complex in Cordova, Cebu. 

The Junior Webmasters of coach Joevir Samonte, who were stunned by the heavily undermanned UV side during the opener, 94-83, just tied the series at one game apiece but became the outright champions of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) Pre-season tilt.

Tournament commissioner Danny Duran explained that UC was declared as champion as UV could no longer play in the deciding Game 3 with only four players left in its fold.

After their bench-clearing scuffle with the Don Bosco Greywolves last week  saw 11 players each from both teams suspended and meted with a record of P110,000 in total fines, UV was left with only five wards for the championship.

 UV's fighting five was reduced to just four following the ejection of Beirn Anthony Laurente due to unsportsmanlike foul for tackling a UC player with closed fist with less than two minutes remaining in Game 2. Laurente thus is slapped with an automatic one-game suspension and a P5,000 fine.

'With UV having only four players left, there's no need to play Game 3. It's already moot and academic. We declared UC as outright champions by default against UV," said Duran.

Making sure they wont suffer the same embarrassing fate as they did in the series opener, the Junior Webmasters immediately jumped the gun on the Abel Bungcaras-mentored Baby Lancers with Luige Gabisan, John Bryle Cuyos and Yanik Enriquez combining for 17 points in a blistering 28-16 start. They kept UV at bay since closing the first half with 15-point advantage, 44-29.

 After slowing down in the third, Cuyos took over in the fourth where he scored nine of his topscoring 22 points to steer UC to a smooth-sailing triumph.

Jelmart Ompad and Kyle Ordeneza each scored 12, while Jumike Casera chipped in 10 markers for the Junior Webmasters, who bombarded UV with a total of 11 3-pointers.

Froiland Maglasang had 20 points, while Justin Jake Rosete and Laurente scored 17 and, respectively, for the Baby Lancers, who seemed to have felt the ill effects playing with only five players against over a dozen foes for two consecutive nights.

The Junior Webmasters took home P100,000 for their efforts, while the Baby Lancers pocketed P50,000 and most probably a certain measure of respect for their big fighting hearts in the face of adversity. (FREEMAN)