CEBU CITY – Former MVP Rey Anthony Suerte scored one clutch basket after another to bail out the two-time defending champion University of the Visayas against University of San Carlos, 73-69, on Tuesday in the 2018 Cesafi basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum.
The Green Lancers trailed by 13 but tied the game at 68, with Suerte capping the huge run with a three-point play.
After USC’s Sommy Managor split his charities to out the Warriors back in front, 69-68, UV guard Gileant Delator banked in a floater from the right wing to give UV the lead for good, 70-69, time down to 1:17.
Two free-throws by Suerte raised the Green Lancers’ lead to three, 72-69.
Suerte, the 2016 Cesafi MVP, finished with 29 points, 11 coming in the fourth quarter.
The 6-foot-2 guard from the municipality of Monkayo in Compostela Valley also had four rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block.
Liberian big man Bassiere Sackour pulled down a whopping 24 rebounds and scored 16.
With team captain Toto Segumpan out with a fever, sophomore foreward Jancork Cabahug stepped up in his place and scored 11 points spiked by three triples.
UV now has a 2-2 record while USC fell to 2-3.
The scores:
UV 73 - Suerte 29, Sackour 16, Cabahug 11, Maestre 6, Delator 6, Claridad 5.
USC 69 - Managor 16, Mangubat 11, Saycon 10, Suarez 9, Jelianggao 8, Laguyo 5, Tan 5, Ecarma 3, Langres 2.
Quarterscores: 16-21; 33-37; 55-53; 73-69.