Cesafi: UC Webmasters gear up for hoops battle with UP Maroons

UC’s Luther Leonard grabs a rebound during their Cesafi men’s basketball game versus CIT-U last September 30, 2023. | Photo from Sugbuanong Kodaker

CEBU CITY, Philippines —The University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters plan to duplicate their lopsided victory against the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildcats by taking on the newcomers, the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu, in the men’s basketball of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) on Thursday, October 5, 2023, at the Cebu Coliseum.

The Webmasters of head coach Kern Sesante opened their Cesafi men’s basketball campaign last September 30 with a 74-point blowout victory, 109-35, against the Wildcats last September 30. 

READ: Webmasters win by 74 points vs Wildcats in Cesafi college hoop wars

Showdown against newcomers

This time they will face the Fighting Maroons of multi-titled high school basketball coach Rommel Rasmo who are gunning for their first win in the league. 

Their showdown is scheduled at 6:00 p.m. 

UP Cebu debuted in the Cesafi men’s basketball with a 58-65 loss to fellow newcomers, the Benedicto College Cheetahs last September 24. 

READ: UV outlasts UP Cebu in Cesafi men’s basketball 

UC Maroons lose to UV Green Lancers

The Fighting Maroons went on losing their second game against the defending champions, the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers last Saturday.

They put on a gallant stand against the heavily-favored Green Lancers, before bowing down to a 56-59 defeat. 

Their game tomorrow won’t be much different from their date with UV as they take on the Webmasters who are the first-runners-up in the 2022 season.

READ: UC, UV log wins in Cesafi 2023 high school cagefest 

5 players contributed to UC Webmasters blowout win

In the Webmasters’ masterful performance against the Wildcats, saw five of its players in Jasper Pacaña, Luther Leonard, Maverick Eligoyo, Ray Charles Libatog, and Michael Diaz scoring double digits. 

These players will likely provide the same performance in tomorrow’s game, while UP will rely on Former USJ-R Jaguar JD Dizon, Aron Kress, and Niño Sarol who are the usual topscorers in Rasmo’s line-up. 

READ: Sirius Star Pilipinas to test mettle vs varsity, commercial clubs in Manila

Baby Webmasters vs. Greywolves

Besides the UP and UC’s collegiate basketball showdown, the latter’s high school team will go up against the Don Bosco Technology Center (DBTC) Greywolves at 5:00 PM. 

The Baby Webmasters opened their Cesafi high school campaign with a hard-earned 62-60 win over the University of Southern Philippines-Foundation (USP-F) Baby Panthers, last September 30. 

Meanwhile, the Greywolves lost to the Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons last September 23,46-68, in their first game. 

READ: NCAA: John Barba’s explosion a testament to Lyceum’s ‘unpredictability’