Gaisano Capital-backed Webmasters regain form, escape Winner Beef Loaf-CIT

The Gaisano Capital-University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters narrowly escaped the upset axe as they downed the Winner Beef Loaf-Cebu Institute of Technology (CIT) Wildcats, 62-59, in the 5th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (CESAFI) Partners Cup yesterday at the Cebu Coliseum.

Just a day after seeing their seven-game winning streak stopped at the hands of rivals, Lion Tiger Aerosols-University of the Visayas (UV), the Webmasters engaged the Wildcats in a battle that went down the wire and was not decided until Allen Dimco’s last-second three-point attempt went short.

Gaisano improved to 8-1 (win-loss) while Winner Beef Loaf fell to a league-worst 1-9 record.

Junemar Fajardo paced UC with 17 points while Roger Pogoy added 12. Winner Beef Loaf was led by the 16 of Chester Curso.

The Webmasters held an 18-point lead, 30-12, early in the second but had that lead sliced to 32-24 at the half.

Fajardo, UC’s 6-foot-10 giant, was able to help his team stem the tide in the ensuing canto as the Webmasters remained in front, 48-40.

But the Wildcats came to within one, 60-59, as Curso scored six in an 8-0 run with just 13.8 seconds left in the match.

Franklin Batiquin had chances to give Winner Beef Loaf the lead but missed a three-pointer from the corner as well as a lay-up on their next two possessions.

Fajardo made an inside stab with 20 seconds left to put them on top, 62-59. Curso ran a pick-and-pop play with Dimco on the last play but the latter missed a wide-open shot.