FOR the fourth straight season, the defending champion University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers once again defeated their perennial rivals, the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters, 85–77, in the deciding Game 3 of the 25th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) Finals at the Cebu Coliseum on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025.
The victory marked the Green Lancers’ 17th championship overall, including their first nine consecutive titles that began under coach Elmer “Boy” Cabahug in 2000, the same year the league was founded as the successor to the Cebu Amateur Athletic Association.
At the same time, the triumph was also the fourth consecutive championship for coach Gary Cortes. Overall, Cortes has now won seven titles since assuming the role of head coach in 2015.
Kent Ivo Salarda was once again named Most Valuable Player (MVP), earning the honor for the second time after first receiving it in 2023.
The Bukidnon native finished the game with 11 points and 13 rebounds.
Raul Gentallan led UV with 18 points, including two three-pointers and six rebounds.
He and long-time partner Salarda were both named to the Mythical Five, which also included Den Rick Orgong of the Benedicto College (BC) Cheetahs, as well as Charles Libatog and Neon Chavez of the Webmasters.
The Webmasters held a 53-47 lead after a floater by Chavez in the third quarter, but a 13–6 rally led by Steven Cañete, Ivan Clark Alsola and AJ Sacayan gave the Green Lancers a 60–59 advantage with 1:40 remaining in the period.
A layup by Alsola and a three-pointer from Salarda stretched UV’s lead to 65–59 at the end of the third quarter.
That 5-0 spurt proved to be the turning point for Cortes’ squad. In the first three minutes of the fourth quarter, UV capitalized on a spate of turnovers by UC and unleashed a 10–0 run to build a 75–59 lead, the largest margin of the game.
The Webmasters had several chances to rally and close the gap, but their efforts could not match the intensity of the Green Lancers, whose mission is to complete a five-peat next season.
Shifty guard Zylle Cabellon contributed 15 points, while AJ Sacayan and Paul John Taliman added 13 and 11 points, respectively.
For the Webmasters, Ricofer Sordilla led the team with 20 points, while Jepherson Nonol and Carlo Salgarino chipped in 10 points apiece.
It was the fourth straight Finals appearance for UC, but also the fourth time it fell short of the championship.
The Webmasters last won the title during the Jun Mar Fajardo era, when they claimed back-to-back championships in 2010 and 2011.