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FilOil: USC Warriors get maiden win against CESAFI rivals UV
Warrior Nico Magat drives against Frans Arong of the Green Lancers. KC Cruz
Coach Junthy Valenzuela and the University of San Carlos Warriors notched their first win in the FilOil Flying V Premier Cup by taking down the University of Visayas Lancers, 77-71, on Friday at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.
Nico Magat paced his team with 17 points, while Ian Ortega chipped in 16, netting 3-of-5 triples. Miguel Plata added 10 points, nine of them coming from downtown. The Warriors were severely defeated in the rebounding department, but made the most of their opportunities from the stripe, cashing in 20 freebies off 31 attempts.
Magat and Ortega led a motion offense that shot 49 percent from the field, owing to great spacing and crisp execution, which overwhelmed the defending Cesafi champions. The duo overcame a 38-point performance from southpaw John Abad and a 44-33 disparity in the rebounding battle.
"Gameplan namin andun, effort nila andun, heart nila andun, wala akong masabi, lahat binigay nila kung ano dapat ibigay nila," said Valenzuela after the game, pleased that they defeated their Cebuano rivals. "Every game naman na makakalaban namin sila [UV], kung ano dapat gameplan, dapat consistent. Madalas namin silang makalaban sa Cebu so nakukuha na namin bawat galaw at move ng players nila."
The Green Lancers stormed out of the gates, led by Abad's hot shooting, which gave them an early 7-0 lead, while there was a lid on the basket on the Warriors' side of the court. USC only scored their first points off free throws from center Espoir Toyambi, and managed to catch up after checking Abad, going as close as three points after a lay-in by Nico Magat, 11-8.
UV widened their lead after back-to-back triples by Vandolph Amoquiz, 17-9, but USC managed to come within striking distance by resorting to shots at the foul line, to trail by five heading to the second frame, 25-20.
UV widened their lead after back-to-back triples by Vandolph Amoquiz, 17-9, but USC managed to come within striking distance by resorting to shots at the foul line, to trail by five heading to the second frame, 25-20.
The Warriors gained on the Lancers early in the second after a jumper by Christian Laude, as the USC defense ruffled the UV offense by switching a taller defender on Abad, 28-27. USC led by as much as five after four straight points off the free throw line by Olago Shooster, but Abad regained his swagger late in the second, going off for five straight points to tie the game, before taking the lead on a Jean Marie Mpouma basket, 37-37.
A triple by Ortega and an alley-oop play swung the lead in favor of USC in the final minute, as USC entered the second half with a 40-39 advantage.
A triple by Ortega and an alley-oop play swung the lead in favor of USC in the final minute, as USC entered the second half with a 40-39 advantage.
Magat widened the gap between his squad and the Lancers, giving them a six-point lead after scoring five straight on long shots, 47-41, while UV rarely found holes in USC's defense. The lead reached double-digits as the hot shooting continued for the Warriors, going up 57-47 on a Magat drive. The Lancers cut it to six with three minutes remaining on the clock after two straight baskets from Raffy Octobre, 61-55, but free throws from Ortega and Shooster gave the Warriors an eight-point lead entering the last 10 minutes.
The Lancers threatened the Warriors, going on a 7-3 run, and getting within four after a steal and a basket by Octobre, 66-62, but that was as close as UV got. Victor Rabat kept the clamps on Abad, while Ortega made key baskets to keep the lead between six to eight points. The Lancers tried a last-ditch attempt by employing their press yet again, but the Warriors' smooth execution turned it into a game fought at the line to notch their first win, 77-71
Both teams are on first installments of back-to-back games. The Lancers (0-2) play a game tomorrow against JRU (1-0) at 2:15pm while the Warriors (1-1) face off against UPHSD at 12:30pm.
Abad scattered 38 points, 25 in the first quarter and nailing 13 of his 25 attempts. Octobre followed suit with 11 points, all coming in the second half. The Lancers grabbed 44 rebounds but converted only seven points off 17 offensive rebounds and shot a paltry 38 percent from the field. - JDL, GMA News
The scores:
USC 77 - Magat 17, Ortega 16, Plata 10, Toyambi 9, Shooster 9, Bensig 6, Laude 6, Rabat 4, Lim 0, Oleodo 0, trozo 0, Pepito 0, Cortes 0, Rocha 0
UV 71 - Abad 38, Octobre 11, Mpolina 6, Amoquiz 6, Akono 04, Perolino 2, Codilla 2, Marquez 2, Arong 0, Segumpan 0, Aguirre 0, Escosid 0, Cabanero 0, Suerte 0
Quarter scoring: 20-25, 40-39, 63-55, 77-71
