THE Benedicto College (BC) Cheetahs showed no mercy as they overpowered the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors, 82-58, in the ongoing Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) men’s basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025.
Leading the charge was Cheetahs big man Serge Gabines, who exploded with 24 points, seven rebounds, and two steals — more than enough to earn him Best Player of the Game honors.
After taking the first quarter, 22-13, the Cheetahs, who also dominated the Warriors in rebounds (43-33) and in field goals (33-22), never looked back and even stretched their lead to 70-50 midway through the fourth quarter.
The win was the Cheetahs’ seventh in nine games, placing coach BJ Murillo’s squad in second place behind the league-leading University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters, who hold an 8-1 record.
Like Benedicto, defending champions University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers also hold a 7-2 card, but by virtue of the team-that-beats-the-other rule, the Cheetahs secured the No. 2 spot. Benedicto defeated UV, 76-65, in their first-round encounter last Oct. 26.
Den Rick Orgong added 10 points, four assists, three rebounds, and one block, while Andrian Jay Tonacao and Junil Bulan combined for 15 points.
USC, which dropped from fourth to fifth place, was led by James Paolo Gica with 19 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
Next up, Benedicto will face the beleaguered University of the Philippines–Cebu Fighting Maroons (1-8) this Saturday, Nov. 22, while USC will try to bounce back on Sunday, Nov. 23, against the CIT-U Wildcats (2-5).
Meanwhile, as expected, the Sacred Heart School–Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles easily crushed the Don Bosco Technical College (DBTC) Greywolves, 79-59.
The victory, the defending high school champions’ fourth in a row, improved their record to 5-1, good for second place in the team standings. The Greywolves, on the other hand, fell to a 1-6 record.
Despite missing one of their top scorers, Lian Kent Basa, Henry Kristoffer Suico led the Magis Eagles with 15 points, five assists, two steals, and two rebounds.
SHS-AdC center Jacob Lacson dominated the paint with 14 points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks in a double-double performance, while Gabriel Gonzales and Benj Anthony Chua combined for 17 points.
For DBTC, Lord Adriel Sasuman topscored with 11 points, while Daniel Cerilles Jr., Jasheed Ybarra, and Paul Abangan each contributed 10 notches.