Kenny Rogers Rocacurva of CIT-U Wildcats tries to get the ball from Karl Marvin Langahin of USPF Panthers during their game in the CESAFI 2018 at Cebu Coliseum | Lito Tecson
The University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers escaped with a 73-67 win over the hard-luck Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildcats in the 2018 Cesafi men’s basketball tournament on Saturday evening at the Cebu Coliseum.
The loss was heartbreaking for the still-winless Wildcats, which for the second straight game, led by as much as 12 points but faltered in the last two minutes to end the first round without a single win in six tries.
USPF improved to 4-1 (win-loss).
Nigerian big man Rich Managor feasted on CIT-U’s diminutive frontline and piled up 25 points and 18 rebounds along with three assists, two blocks and a steal.
Rookie sensation Kenny Rogers Rocacurva led the Wildcats with 25 points, making a living from the free-throw stripe, converting 13-of-17 there. The pride of San Francisco added four steals and four blocks.