CESAFI in High Gear
Bleacher Talk
September 23, 2007
CESAFI in High Gear
Fasten your seat belts and hold on tight. The CESAFI has shifted to high gear and there’s no slowing down. With the elimination round over, the dust has settled with four teams stepping up to the plate to find out who’s who in local college ball.
And the big question remains, can anyone stop UV? CESAFI’s version of the Final Four features the top-ranked UV Lancers going up against #4 USJR. The other half of the draw has the #2 USC Warriors facing #3 SWU Cobras. The semis start on Wednesday with the UV-USJR series kicking things off. The semifinal format is a best-of-three series with the winners facing off in a best-of-five finals.
The interesting thing about the semis is that UV is facing the only team to which it lost in the elimination round. Believe it or not, the mighty Lancers aren’t invincible after all. While many will say that UV was crippled with its key players recovering from the flu in that game, we can’t take away the gallant effort put up by USJR. In that game, the Jaguars used a combination of speed and a choking full-court trap to frustrate UV.
Their game revolves around the leadership of Armand Ponce who leads their transition offense and anchors the full-court trapping defense that Coach Edito Salacut loves to use. Lyndon Gudez is the main beneficiary of the transition game being the best finisher of the break for the Jaguars. John Malinao has improved drastically, having mastered his medium range jumper and his “Ramon Fernandez” elegant running shot. He excels when he doesn’t have to bang bodies against the wider bodies of the UV front line inside the paint. For the Jaguars to win again, they’ll have to follow the same game plan but expect a healthier UV line-up eager to erase the memory of only their second defeat in CESAFI history.
UV will always be UV. They have so many weapons to throw at you, but I think the most crucial element is the presence of Von Harry Lañete. He’s the kind of player who can make or break UV. When he has an off-night or is forced to carry the load all by himself, UV doesn’t play too well. He also tends to lose his composure when having to bring the ball up against a full court press. This is where UV will need the steady playmaking of Chris Diputado as Lañete slides to the off-guard position. Among the players who should be tapped to score a lot are Michael Luga and Harlow Villanil. They bring match-up problems to USJR especially when made to play as wingmen. Their big men will also have the edge inside. Ariel Mepaña is due for a break-out game and can easily push his weight around against the smaller “big” men of USJR. Rino Berame will also exert his presence against Malinao and Manny Gabas. Don’t expect much from 6-11 rookie Greg Slaughter if USJR decides to make the turn the game into a sprint.
In the other battle, USC will want to prove that its appearance in last year’s finals is not a fluke. But they’re facing a more mature and hungrier SWU side that has already over-achieved itself in its rookie year back in the league. Enrico Llanto will once again be at the forefront of the USC offense. He has proven time and again to be the best inside operator in the league despite standing only 6-2. His quick moves to the basket, reverse lay-ups and turn-around jumpers are almost unstoppable, and SWU’s big men will have their hands full trying to contain Llanto.
The other half of USC’s dynamic duo that dates back to their USC-Mango days is Niño Ramirez. If Llanto is tied down inside, Ramirez serves as the bail-out guy with his long-range shooting. He also blends this with his slashing ways to the hoop when clamped down outside. Carlo Padayao gives USC a legitimate third option that’s dangerous from three-point land, while Sam Hermosa and Paul Joven have proven that they can take care of the offense if Llanto and Ramirez take a break. USC’s weakness is its shallow bench that goes only as deep as eight or nine players. Giovanni Padillo and Harvey Lazalita are the only legitimate threats who can provide the much-needed spark of the bench.
SWU is in a nothing-to-lose scenario and they’ll surely use this to their advantage. They weren’t expected to end up #3 in its rookie year where their players seemed to have matured quickly through the season. They’ll be relying on the inside-outside game of lefty Eric Zanoria. But the key to a SWU win is if they know what real options they have at point guard at game time. Coach Dodie Miego has been so frustrated at the show-boating ways of Eliud Poligrates that he often uses Zanoria as a big point guard. If Poligrates can settle down and run the offense as he’s supposed to, then SWU will be able to maximize its many options. Aside from Zanoria, SWU has reliable role players like Richard Gianchand, Mariano Canonigo and Cris Litorja. Canonigo and Gianchand are “little” big men who do the dirty work while Litorja is deadly beyond the arc aside from being a good finisher of their fast break.
But before we forget, the CESAFI takes a one-day break today as it holds its annual All-Star Day today at the Cebu Coliseum (pls. see separate story). Call it the calm before the storm as fans will be treated to a day of all-star games and exciting side events.
Then it’s time for the real thing. UV, USC, SWU and USJR will get down to work as the CESAFI heats up with its Final Four.
***
Time-out: Dear Mayor Avel Gungob: Please assign a traffic enforcer at the corner of the Cebu North Road and Lamac during rush hour. If he can manage the traffic and make sure that jeepneys stop at the designated areas, entering and leaving your town will be nice and smooth, and not wild and wooly. >>> You can reach me at bleachertalk@yahoo.com.
September 23, 2007
CESAFI in High Gear
Fasten your seat belts and hold on tight. The CESAFI has shifted to high gear and there’s no slowing down. With the elimination round over, the dust has settled with four teams stepping up to the plate to find out who’s who in local college ball.
And the big question remains, can anyone stop UV? CESAFI’s version of the Final Four features the top-ranked UV Lancers going up against #4 USJR. The other half of the draw has the #2 USC Warriors facing #3 SWU Cobras. The semis start on Wednesday with the UV-USJR series kicking things off. The semifinal format is a best-of-three series with the winners facing off in a best-of-five finals.
The interesting thing about the semis is that UV is facing the only team to which it lost in the elimination round. Believe it or not, the mighty Lancers aren’t invincible after all. While many will say that UV was crippled with its key players recovering from the flu in that game, we can’t take away the gallant effort put up by USJR. In that game, the Jaguars used a combination of speed and a choking full-court trap to frustrate UV.
Their game revolves around the leadership of Armand Ponce who leads their transition offense and anchors the full-court trapping defense that Coach Edito Salacut loves to use. Lyndon Gudez is the main beneficiary of the transition game being the best finisher of the break for the Jaguars. John Malinao has improved drastically, having mastered his medium range jumper and his “Ramon Fernandez” elegant running shot. He excels when he doesn’t have to bang bodies against the wider bodies of the UV front line inside the paint. For the Jaguars to win again, they’ll have to follow the same game plan but expect a healthier UV line-up eager to erase the memory of only their second defeat in CESAFI history.
UV will always be UV. They have so many weapons to throw at you, but I think the most crucial element is the presence of Von Harry Lañete. He’s the kind of player who can make or break UV. When he has an off-night or is forced to carry the load all by himself, UV doesn’t play too well. He also tends to lose his composure when having to bring the ball up against a full court press. This is where UV will need the steady playmaking of Chris Diputado as Lañete slides to the off-guard position. Among the players who should be tapped to score a lot are Michael Luga and Harlow Villanil. They bring match-up problems to USJR especially when made to play as wingmen. Their big men will also have the edge inside. Ariel Mepaña is due for a break-out game and can easily push his weight around against the smaller “big” men of USJR. Rino Berame will also exert his presence against Malinao and Manny Gabas. Don’t expect much from 6-11 rookie Greg Slaughter if USJR decides to make the turn the game into a sprint.
In the other battle, USC will want to prove that its appearance in last year’s finals is not a fluke. But they’re facing a more mature and hungrier SWU side that has already over-achieved itself in its rookie year back in the league. Enrico Llanto will once again be at the forefront of the USC offense. He has proven time and again to be the best inside operator in the league despite standing only 6-2. His quick moves to the basket, reverse lay-ups and turn-around jumpers are almost unstoppable, and SWU’s big men will have their hands full trying to contain Llanto.
The other half of USC’s dynamic duo that dates back to their USC-Mango days is Niño Ramirez. If Llanto is tied down inside, Ramirez serves as the bail-out guy with his long-range shooting. He also blends this with his slashing ways to the hoop when clamped down outside. Carlo Padayao gives USC a legitimate third option that’s dangerous from three-point land, while Sam Hermosa and Paul Joven have proven that they can take care of the offense if Llanto and Ramirez take a break. USC’s weakness is its shallow bench that goes only as deep as eight or nine players. Giovanni Padillo and Harvey Lazalita are the only legitimate threats who can provide the much-needed spark of the bench.
SWU is in a nothing-to-lose scenario and they’ll surely use this to their advantage. They weren’t expected to end up #3 in its rookie year where their players seemed to have matured quickly through the season. They’ll be relying on the inside-outside game of lefty Eric Zanoria. But the key to a SWU win is if they know what real options they have at point guard at game time. Coach Dodie Miego has been so frustrated at the show-boating ways of Eliud Poligrates that he often uses Zanoria as a big point guard. If Poligrates can settle down and run the offense as he’s supposed to, then SWU will be able to maximize its many options. Aside from Zanoria, SWU has reliable role players like Richard Gianchand, Mariano Canonigo and Cris Litorja. Canonigo and Gianchand are “little” big men who do the dirty work while Litorja is deadly beyond the arc aside from being a good finisher of their fast break.
But before we forget, the CESAFI takes a one-day break today as it holds its annual All-Star Day today at the Cebu Coliseum (pls. see separate story). Call it the calm before the storm as fans will be treated to a day of all-star games and exciting side events.
Then it’s time for the real thing. UV, USC, SWU and USJR will get down to work as the CESAFI heats up with its Final Four.
***
Time-out: Dear Mayor Avel Gungob: Please assign a traffic enforcer at the corner of the Cebu North Road and Lamac during rush hour. If he can manage the traffic and make sure that jeepneys stop at the designated areas, entering and leaving your town will be nice and smooth, and not wild and wooly. >>> You can reach me at bleachertalk@yahoo.com.
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