SWU Cobras upsets USC, nabs 2nd MLKP finals seat

CEBU CITY, Philippines - The big men of Southwestern University held the team aloft in times of crisis as the No. 4 Cobras eliminated the No. 1 team University of San Carlos Warriors following a 77-66 upset to complete the finals cast of the First M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala Summer Basketball Challenge held at the Cebu Coliseum last Thursday night, the Sun.Star online reported Saturday. Ritchie Jalandoni and Cleford Maguate each had four points down the stretch to backstop the efforts of the Cobras to hold off the rampaging Warriors. With the Warriors closing-in in the final three minutes of the game, Jalandoni scored back-to-back jumpers, while Maguate scored two free throws and a jumper at the wing to keep USC at bay. Helping the Cobras survive the attack was the two missed lay-ups of Sam Jordan Hermosa that could have put the Warriors ahead in the game. Aside from Hermosa’s misses, a three-second violation was also slapped on Paul Joven, resulting in an uncontested lay up of Ardd Django at the other end that put the Cobras 69-63. A triple from Eddie Bakker gave the Warriors the last hope to change the result of the game but Elvid Poligrates towed the Cobras away from danger as the time expired. The win completed the comeback of SWU, which needed to beat the Warriors twice to advance to the finals. Last Tuesday, the Cobras defeated USC, 99-82, to forge another game. SWU will face the University of San Jose-Recoletos Jaguars in a best-of-three championship series that will start on Monday. The No.2 seed USJ-R defeated the No.3 team ACT Cyber Knights, 98-86, last Tuesday to book the first seat to the finals. - Sun.Star