THE Benedicto College (BC) Cheetahs refused to let the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters breathe in the closing minutes, pulling off a second straight victory over their rivals, 67-64, in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) Season 26 men’s basketball tournament at the Cebu Coliseum on Saturday, Oct. 17.
In a tightly contested game, the Cheetahs showed their composure to strengthen their hold on the top spot in the standings.
Den Rick Orgong led the winners with 17 points and five rebounds, while Serge Gabines posted a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds to spearhead Benedicto’s attack.
Kenneth Babalcon also chipped in 11 points and five rebounds as the Cheetahs improved to an 8-1 win-loss record.
But the UC Webmasters refused to go down without a fight, battling until the final buzzer.
Ray Charles Libatog led UC with 18 points and five rebounds, while Jefferson Nonol added 14 points, including three triples. Ricofer Sordilla contributed 11 points, while Maverick Angelo Eligoyo grabbed eight points and 13 rebounds.
Despite their spirited effort, the Webmasters failed to avenge their first-round loss to the Cheetahs.
The defeat dropped UC to a 5-4 record, placing the team fifth in the standings.
For Benedicto, the victory was more than just another win — it was another statement that the Cheetahs would not easily surrender their throne.
The two teams traded blows from the opening minutes, producing eight deadlocks and six lead changes.
After entering halftime tied at 31-all, Benedicto managed to carve out a slim two-point lead, 51-49, at the end of the third quarter.
Babalcon’s three-pointer with 3:04 remaining in the fourth quarter extended the Cheetahs’ lead to 65-61. Libatog trimmed the deficit with a free throw, making it 65-62 with 2:17 left.
A miscommunication on a Benedicto pass gave UC another opportunity to close the gap, as Libatog connected on a short jumper with 1:38 remaining.
However, that proved to be the closest the Webmasters could get before Orgong found an opening underneath to score and seal the 67-64 victory with 10 seconds left in regulation.
Gabines was named Player of the Game.
“Our mindset before the game was to stay focused on our goal. We did the same things in practice and carried them into the game. This was very important to us because we are already in the second round,” Gabines said.
In the other game, newcomer University of Cebu Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue (UCLM) Webmasters scored an emphatic 70-47 victory over the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons to avenge their first-round defeat.
The victory pulled UCLM level with UP at 2-7 in the standings.
John Gabriel Giganto led UCLM with 12 points and five rebounds, while Rafael Calo added 10 points. Jake Lordwin Yong contributed seven points and seven rebounds.
Philip Brandon Sainz paced UP-Cebu with 16 points, but his effort was not enough to prevent UCLM from securing its second win of the season.
The Webmasters set the tone early, racing to an 18-8 lead in the opening quarter before maintaining their advantage to take a 31-21 cushion into halftime.
UP-Cebu attempted to mount a comeback in the third period but failed to contain UCLM’s offense, allowing the Webmasters to cruise to the 23-point victory.
UCLM coach Dondon Hontiveros credited his team’s defensive effort for the convincing win.
“I appreciate the effort, and hopefully, whatever the outcome of the rest of the second round, we can continue to show that kind of game,” Hontiveros said after the match.
He explained that their defensive execution had also been instrumental in their previous victory over the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U).
“In our win over CIT-U, it was really because of our defense. Although their star, Thompson, delivered, the rest of their players were held in check,” Hontiveros said.
The Webmasters applied the same approach against UP-Cebu, limiting the Fighting Maroons’ leading scorer, who had helped defeat them in their first-round meeting.
“I guess the guys were able to recognize where they needed to help, and other guys stepped up,” Hontiveros added.
UCLM hopes to sustain its defensive intensity in the remaining games of the second round as it seeks to improve its record in its first season in the competition. / JBM