SWU elated to give Cebu a win in Filoil caging after beating JRU

MANILA, Philippines — Southwestern University nosed out a 72-68 triumph over Jose Rizal University on Wednesday, first time a Cebu-based team defeated a Manila squad in the 2014 Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup.

Both University of Visayas and University of San Carlos failed to pin down their opponents from Manila since the start of the tournament and that put pressure on the Cobras, admitted head coach Yayoy Alcoseba.

“I’m happy because last week all the Cebuano teams lost. The pressure was on us to win, for Cebu and not just for us,” said Alcoseba after the game at the Arena in San Juan.

“Yes, of course it’s a statement. We really wanted to win this one. I give it to the boys, they responded very well.”

Cameroonian Landry Sanjo dominated with 21 points, 13 boards and three emphatic swats while guard Jasper Parker had 12 points.

Mac Tallo and Antonio Pardo, who both came from schools here in Manila, made a splash with nine points each. Tallo, the former La Salle guard, also had nine boards and while Pardo, a former Baby Tamaraw, knocked down three triples.

The bulkier Cobras imposed their strength on the Bombers and showcased their fluid ball movement, leading from start to finish and by as many as 20 points, 63-43, with 8:27 left to play.

A 12-3 run bridging the third and fourth periods,  highlighted by back-to-back corner triples from Pardo, built the cushion for SWU which it needed later on.

JRU didn’t let SWU just get away with the victory, as Philipp Paniamogan sparked a 23-8 run that slashed the deficit down to just five with 22.1 seconds to play.

It was too late a comeback for JRU, though, and it reeled to its first loss of the tournament in group A of the pre-season tournament.

Paniamogan finished with 18 points, 11 in the fourth, while Jaycee Asuncion chipped in 14 points before fouling out.

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