UNIVERSITY of the Visayas bucked a sluggish start to beat reigning Cesafi champion University of San Carlos, 76-62, in the 8th Cesafi Partner’s Cup on Saturday evening at the Cebu Coliseum.
The Worthy Green Lancers were almost too eager to show they can play well without Jun Manzo and Leonard Santillan, who have transferred to the University of the Philippines, and paid the price early on as they fell behind 1-10 after the first five minutes of action and stared at a 6-17 deficit heading to the second period.
But UV found their bearings used a 22-6 blitz led by Sheldon Gahi, Rey Suerte and Josue Segumpan. The trio accounted for 17 points in that telling stretch that put the Lancers ahead, 28-23.
Suerte led the way for UV with 18 points while Segumpan had 15.
Ian Ortega scored 13 for a Cebu Landmasters USC team laden with rookies including new reinforcement 6-foot-11 beanpole Niambili Bourama from Mali.
Jules Langres, a former standout of Cebu Institute of Technology-University, added 10 markers.