Games Tuesday
Sept. 16, 2025
5:15 PM – BC vs UV (High School)
6:45 PM – CITU vs UC (College)
SERGE Gabines completed a three-point play in the final six seconds to propel the Benedicto College (BC) Cheetahs to a 76-74 upset victory over the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars on opening day of the 25th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) men’s basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025.
The Cheetahs of Coach BJ Murillo were on the brink of defeat when Christian Sollano gave the Jaguars a 74-73 lead with just 13 seconds remaining in the ballgame.
However, after a timeout, Gabines grabbed the rebound off Albert Tolipas’ miss and hurriedly converted a putback that caught the USJ-R defenders flat-footed while drawing a foul from Samuel Melicor, giving Benedicto a 75-74 edge.
With composure, Gabines, who was perfect from the field (5-of-5), calmly sank the bonus free throw, sealing the victory.
“I told them that we just have to think positive always, because we’re already far behind. Let’s just go one at a time. In every possession, let’s score, and we can definitely pull this off,” said Murillo, whose team trailed by 14 points in the second half.
John Loufred Diamante led Benedicto with 16 points, including two three-pointers, while Kenneth Babalcon added 12 points.
For Coach Julius Cadavis’ Jaguars, Fritz Gonzales had 16 points, Sollano added 12, and both Lorenzo Gabriel Saraum and Rodge Aldrich Balbao chipped in 11 apiece.
Earlier, the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors opened their campaign with an impressive 69-55 win over the University of the Philippines (UP)-Cebu Fighting Maroons.
The trio of Jhoernel Vince Tangkay, Kyle Maglinte, and James Paolo Gica proved lethal weapons for Coach Paul Joven’s Warriors.
Tangkay, son of veteran and former PBA player Jerkules Tangkay, led with 18 points, Maglinte contributed 17, and Gica added 13.
For the Fighting Maroons, AJ Delos Reyes scored 20 points and Andrew Padilla added 11.
The Warriors led 30-19 at halftime and never looked back, stretching their lead to as much as 22 points, 56-34, entering the fourth quarter.
“I just stayed focused on my game. Offense comes naturally if you work hard on defense,” said Tangkay, who was named Best Player of the Game, in Cebuano.
Coach Joven expressed confidence in his team this season. “We’re a bit stronger compared to last year because we have players who can sub in. We also have two players who returned from Manila. Hopefully, with God’s will and no injuries, we can compete against the top teams,” he said.
In the high school division, the USJ-R Jaguar Cubs pulled off a sweet 70-62 overtime win against the Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Baby Dragons.
Victory seemed within reach for the Dragons, who led 58-50 with just 2:13 left in regulation, but the Cubs answered with an 8-0 rally, capped by three free throws from Clyve Heinrich Antig, to send the game into overtime.
In the opening game, the Don Bosco Technical College (DBTC) Greywolves edged the USC Baby Warriors, 67-62.
Daniel Cerilles Jr. powered the Greywolves with 17 points, six rebounds, and three assists. / JBM