USJ-R Jaguars players and coaching staff pose at center court, flashing the No. 3 sign, after winning over CRMC Mustangs in the Cesafi men’s basketball on Sunday, October 1, 2023. CDN Digital photo | Glendale Rosal
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars remain unbeaten in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) men’s basketball, chalking up a 77-57 victory over the Cebu Roosevelt Memorial Colleges (CRMC) Mustangs on Sunday, October 1, 2023, at the Cebu Coliseum.
With the victory, the Jaguars of head coach Melo Banua improved to 3-0 (win-loss) in the team standings to take the top spot after over a week of competition.
Guard Jay Deiparine led the Jaguars with 13 points, while team captain Justine Langres added 11. Power forward Elmer Echavez added nine in the lopsided win.
READ MORE: Cesafi 2023: Cobras crush Cheetahs, 60-55, in hard fought game on Sunday
CRMC’s Keaton Taburnal had a game-high 17 but couldn’t carry his team over the Jaguars. The Mustangs fell to 1-2.
USJ-R was already in full throttle from the get-go, as it erected a 37-25 lead at halftime.
The Jaguars became more relentless in the second half after Deiparine and Echavez led a scorching 28-10 run to enter the final period with a staggering 30-point lead, 65-35.
The Jaguars managed to stretch their lead to 32, 67-35, at the start of the fourth period.
READ MORE: Cesafi: USJ-R Jaguars complete day’s sweep
The Mustangs, though, wouldn’t give up, as they put up some fight and managed to slash the lead to 18, 57-75, but it was a little too late for a comeback.
Incredibly, the Jaguars did their lopsided win without their two new ex-NCAA players in Milo Janao and Evan Agbong.
The Jaguars go for a fourth straight win when they face the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu Fighting Maroons on October 8.
CRMC will next face the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters on October 14.
/bmjo
READ MORE: Webmasters win by 74 points vs Wildcats in Cesafi college hoop wars