DEFENDING champion Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu inched closer to a return trip to the finals as it outlasted University of San Carlos, 51-45, at the start of the second round of the semifinals on Monday in the juniors division of the 13th Cesafi basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum.
Jan Jaboneta had 11 points and 11 rebounds, while Arnie Padilla had nine and 10. Jair Igna also scored nine points for the Eagles, who joined Cebu Eastern College at the top with 3-1 win-loss records. The top two teams at the end of the double round-robin semis advance to the best-of-three finals series.
Trailing by five at halftime, the Baby Warriors seized the lead early in the third, 28-27.
But the Eagles went on a 13-1 run to close out the third period on top, 40-29. Jaboneta had six points in that rally.
USC retaliated with a 10-0 run, with point guard Ian dela Cruz hitting a triple to slice the deficit to four, 38-42, with 7:48 remaining.
But the Eagles doused the fire with a three-point play by Zach Huang, a free-throw by Jaboneta and an inside bucket by Padilla that gave them a 48-40 cushion.
In the other game, University of the Visayas beat CEC, 79-59, to match USC’s 1-3 card.
Jun Manzo had 26 points, 12 in the third, for the Baby Lancers.
Prince Canete added 19 points, while Emmanuel Villamor and John Escalona registered double-doubles.
Villamor had 11 points and 12 rebounds, while Escalona had 10 and 14.
The scores:
First Game
UV (79) - Manzo 26, P. Cañete 19, Villamor 11, Escalona 10, Limitares 5, Wamar 4, Flores 4, Ugsang 0, Diaz 0, Morre 0, Silorio 0.
CEC (59) - Obado 14, Berdera 8, Chi 8, Salac 7, Roa 6, Alvizo 5, Sabroso 5, Tan 4, Magnaong 2, Pagalan 0, Buli-Buli 0, Laborde 0.
Quarter Scores: 16-14, 34-28, 57-41, 79-59.
Second Game
SHS-AdC (51) - Jaboneta 11, Igna 9, Padilla 9, Laguyo 6, Navarro 6, Ecarma 4, Huang 4, Mantua 1, Co 1, Lim 0, Mayol 0, Ong 0.
USC (45) - Dela Cruz 12, Suelto 10, J.J. Antigua 5, Ortega 5, Sable 4, J. Galinato 4, Baltazar 2, Ju. Antigua 2, Ting 1, P. Galinato 0.
Quarter Scores: 14-8, 25-20, 40-29, 51-45.
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