LEARNING from lessons from their two successive defeats, the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars barged into the win column by beating the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildcats, 76-63, in a physical, hard-fought match in the ongoing Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) men’s basketball tournament on Friday, October 3, 2025, at the newly renovated Cebu Coliseum.
After a see-saw battle that featured 10 deadlocks and 11 lead changes, the Jaguars began to pull away when Alcher Obra sank a three-pointer to break the tie, 47-44, with 2:30 left in the third quarter.
Once the gap began to crack, Fritz Gonzales and Benedict Brigoli immediately joined the scoring spree as USJ-R launched a 9-2 run heading into the fourth period, 53-45.
From there, there was no stopping coach Julius Cadavis’ wards as they continued to fire on all cylinders, even posting their biggest lead of 18 points, 66-48, on a layup by Christian Carl Sollano with 5:29 remaining in the game.
Sollano, who recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, along with two steals and two assists, was eventually named the Best Player of the Game.
Fritz Gonzales finished with 16 points to lead the Jaguars in scoring.
“Coming into this game, we were the only winless team at this early stage. That was a big challenge for us. They were too relaxed in the first half, they didn’t execute, and their game was all over the place. But the good thing is, in the second half, they bounced back, focused on defense, and continued executing. That’s why the lead ballooned,” Cadavis said in a post-game interview.
The Wildcats led, 30-24, in the second quarter after Jerian Marc Abello hit a three-pointer, but the Jaguars responded with an 8-2 run to trim the deficit to 32-30.
Struggling with a low 33 percent field goal percentage, CIT-U had only Seralin Duarte scoring in double figures, finishing with 12 points and five rebounds.
Team captain Regie Ayon chipped in nine points and eight rebounds, while Jerian Marc Abello, one of their scoring leaders, was limited to just four points.
With the loss, the Wildcats dropped to a 1-4 record.
Meanwhile, in the high school division, the University of Cebu Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue (UCLM) Baby Webmasters bounced back with an easy win over the still-winless San Carlos School of Cebu (SCSC) Baby Warriors, 81-70.
Dan Mitchel Ferraren led UCLM with 17 points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals after their loss to Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons on Tuesday, Sept. 30.
Noel Lingoste added 16 points, six rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block to earn Best Player of the Game honors.
SCSC is still seeking its first win after four straight losses. / JBM