LEARNING from their upset loss to the University of the Philippines-Cebu (UPC) Fighting Maroons last Sept. 30, the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters bounced back and beat defending champions University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers, 70-64, in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) men’s basketball tournament on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, at the Cebu Coliseum.
The Webmasters, under coach Atty. Kern Sesante, trailed most of the way but found their rhythm in the last four minutes of the ballgame and carved out a thrilling win against their perennial rivals, UV Lancers, the same team that swept them in last year’s finals series.
Veteran skipper Andre Cuizon and seasoned guard Neon Chavez stepped up when it mattered most, breaking the last deadlock, 62-62, with free throws and a trey, respectively, to give UC a 68-62 lead with 2:50 left.
Cuizon topscored for UC with 11 points, but it was Chavez who directed the tempo of the game in the crucial stretch, finishing with seven points -- including a crucial three-pointer -- along with seven rebounds, and five assists.
UV tried to mount a rally with Kent Salarda leading the attack, but struggled with missed shots and countless turnovers, allowing the Webmasters to secure their third win in four outings.
Danie Boy Lapiz, who was 3-of-3 from beyond the arc, also banged in double figures with 10 points.
For the Lancers, Salarda piled up 24 points, 19 of those in the first half, and grabbed 13 rebounds. Ivan Clark Alsola finished with a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Raul Gentallan, another UV scorer, did not see action and was reportedly on sick bay. It was the Lancers’ first setback after five wins in a row.
“I don’t think it means a lot. I think it’s a morale booster considering that we won against UV and broke their record. And it was a wake-up call for us after what happened in our previous game,” said Sesante in a post-game interview.
Sesante also said his wards were more aggressive this time, knowing that they were up against the defending champions.
In another collegiate matchup, the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors dominated the Cebu Institute of Technology (CIT) University Wildcats, 63-41.
With the win, the Warriors improved to 3-2, while the Wildcats sank deeper in the standings with a 1-5 record.
Earlier, the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars routed the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers, 80-56, while the Benedicto College (BC) Cheetahs outplayed the UP-Cebu Fighting Maroons, 64-56, in a tightly contested game.
Both USJ-R and BC continue to strengthen their campaigns in this year’s edition of the Cesafi tournament.
The Jaguars, who scored their first win last week over the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildcats, are now toting a 2-2 slate, while the Cheetahs, who surprisingly lost to the USC Warriors last Oct. 9, solidified their grip on second place with a 3-1 record.