Cebu's UV battles Ateneo for CCL title

Sun.Star: It will be a battle between Cebu’s best, University of the Visayas and one of Manila’s top teams, Ateneo de Manila University, for the National Collegiate Champions League title. The UV Green Lancers overcame the rust from their long layoff and leaned on Vonn Lañete and Rino Berame to turn back the STI College Olympians, 80-71, in the semifinal round, while Ateneo buried University of Sto. Tomas, 93-68. Both teams will face off for the title on Nov. 28 still at San Juan. “I just pray and hope that we will win because history will repeat itself (If we do so) UV," coach Boy Cabahug said in a text message to Sun.Star Cebu. In 1957, UV, with now Rep. Ed Gullas as coach and Boy’s father as one of the players, defeated Ateneo to win the Champions League. Berame finished with 21 points and an impressive 17 rebounds and stretched UV to its biggest lead in the final two minutes, while Lañete had 14, four assists and a steal. “Coach Boy told us not to hurry and to use the shot clock," Lañete said during the post game interview after he got the Player of the Game honors. Playing a week after their quarterfinal win, UV got to an early lead courtesy of Lañete’s jumper and a trey before the Olympians, which upset Far Eastern University in the quarterfinal, moved to within 13-12 after using a full court press. UV managed to hold on at 20-14 at the end of the first but a lethargic second quarter had STI on top. UV’s missed open shots and turnovers led to a 14-4 run for STI and the Cebuanos found themselves trailing by six, 30-24, with less than five minutes to go. It was the last time STI got the lead. Chris Diputado cut the lead by half with a trey and a steal and a pass to Mike Luga got them to 29-30 before Berame got the lead off a turnover for a 38-32 count at the half. More shots Despite getting more shots (39) STI only converted 16 in the first half, while UV hit .50 with a 15-for-30 clip, while outrebounding STI, 25-16 in the first half. Both teams got to a slow start in the third quarter and each only had a basket as the game became physical in the first six minutes of the final period. UV finally ended the impasse with Berame, Richum Dennison and Ariel Mepaña hitting their shots but STI found an answer in Darryl Micutan for a 55-49 count going into the final period. Micutan single-handedly carried STI in the final quarter and scored eight straight points and had eight straight points as he matched Luga, Lañete and Berame shot for shot. However, he couldn’t sustain the battle and UV got their biggest lead at 76-63 before cruising in the final seconds for their eight-point win. - Sun.Star