UC juniors, Baby Panthers pound foes for 2-0 starts

CEBU, Philippines — The defending champions University of Cebu (UC) Junior Webmasters and the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Baby Panthers battered their respective rivals to stay unbeaten in the 19th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) men’s basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum yesterday.

Coming off an 87-46 obliteration of the University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers, the Junior Webmasters scored another blowout, this time against the University of San Carlos (USC) Baby Warriors, 74-51.

Nathaniel Micutuan and Gabriel Leonard both submitted 13 points while Isaiah Blanco, son of former PBA star turned Cebu City councilor Dondon Hontiveros, rolled out 12 markers for the Junior Webmasters, who never looked back after sprinting to a hot 17-6 start.

Despite enjoying a comfortable lead after three quarters, 57-36, courtesy of a 24-13 blitz, the Junior Webmasters did not let their guards down in the final half.

They even grew fiercer towards the end to surge ahead by as much 26 points, 74-58, with less than a minute left to play.

With the rousing victory, the Junior Webmasters joined the Baby Panthers atop the juniors division leaderboard with identical 2-0 slates.

Behind the stellar show of Christopher Isabelo who topped their scoring chart with 12 points, the Baby Panthers stunned the pre-tournament favorites University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Baby Jaguars, 71-54.

After taking an early 21-12 edge, the Baby Panthers continued to pounce the Baby Jaguars in the middle quarters to estbalish an imposing 56-33 bulge heading into the final 10-minute mark of the contest.

The Baby Panthers sustained their momentum to walk away with a 17-point romp. (FREEMAN)