JHOERNEL Tangkay exploded for 25 points and six rebounds as the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors defeated the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers, 77-68, in the Cesafi Season 26 men’s basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026.
The victory served as a quick response to their heavy 81-63 loss to the UC Webmasters last Thursday, Sept. 10, while improving their record to 2-1.
The game was a tight battle in the first two quarters, with the lead changing hands nine times.
But the Warriors slowly pulled away in the second half and stretched their advantage to 65-58 with 6:33 remaining after James Tawacal scored on a drive.
From there, USC never looked back, with assistant coach Enrico Llanto temporarily calling the shots for the Warriors.
Tawacal finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, while James Enriquez also scored in double figures with 10 points and four rebounds.
With the loss, coach Alan Cabatingan’s Panthers slipped to 1-2.
UV’s first win
In another game, defending champion University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers finally posted their first victory after dominating the University of the Philippines-Cebu (UPC) Fighting Maroons, 94-65.
The Lancers, who were stunned by the USC Warriors, 81-68, on Aug. 30, had to work their way through a tough first half against coach Rommel Rasmo’s Fighting Maroons and took a slim 45-44 lead into halftime.
But UV found its rhythm in the third quarter, sparked by the play of Raul Gentallan, Kent Ivo Salarda, and AJ Sacayan.
Gentallan led all scorers with 25 points, while Salarda added 14 and Sacayan chipped in 13. John Bautista finished with 11 points.
The loss was the second straight for UPC, which also suffered a heartbreaking 71-70 defeat to the CIT-U Wildcats on a buzzer-beating midcourt shot last week.
Raul Gilbuena led UPC with 13 points.
CIT-U upsets UC
In the high school division, the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Junior Wildcats stunned the heavily favored University of Cebu-Main Baby Webmasters, 79-65.
Coach Axel Rabaya’s Junior Wildcats came out firing early. After taking a 23-17 lead in the first quarter, CIT-U erupted for a 28-13 second-quarter rally to take a commanding 51-30 advantage at halftime.
Using their speed and quickness, four Junior Wildcats finished in double figures.
Mark Ivan Geraldez led CIT-U with 15 points, while Theo Santiago and Vincent Zamora added 13 apiece. Geoffe Partosa contributed 11 points as the Junior Wildcats improved to 1-1.
For UC-Main, now also at 1-1, John Terol scored 16 points, Jay Bulagsak added 15, and Gamaliel dela Peña chipped in 11.
Towering big man Jade Bialan was held to just seven points and six rebounds. / JBM