Cesafi: Wildcats claw back from 14 points down to beat Fighting Maroons
Photo caption: CIT-U players and coaching staff pose at center court after winning over UP-Cebu on Sunday, November 5. | Photo from Sugbuanong Kodaker via Glendale Rosal
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildcats erased a 14-point deficit and defeated the University of the Philippines (UP)-Cebu Fighting Maroons, 68-59, in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) men’s basketball tournament on Sunday, November 5, 2023, at the Cebu Coliseum.
The victory pulled the Wildcats up to the eighth spot of the team standings with their second win in seven games.
UP-Cebu is now tied with the Felipe R. Verallo Foundation College Blue Dragons with identical 1-7 (win-loss) cards each.
John Rey Guinita led the Wildcats with 16 points, 13 of which he made in the final period.
Rockwald Toh also had a good game for the Wildcats as he finished with 15 markers while Edwin Jao contributed 10 points in the win.
Philip Sainz was the lone double-digit scorer for the Fighting Maroons with 12 points. AJ Delos Reyes added nine for the Fighting Maroons.
UP-Cebu of head coach Rommel Rasmo started strong as it erected a 14-point second-period lead, 34-20.
The Wildcats, though, managed to cut the deficit to just two, 33-35, at halftime.
The Wildcats of acting head coach Gerry Cavan took the lead, 36-35, for the first time in the game courtesy of Toh’s corner trey at the start of the second half.
Everything went the Wildcats’ way from thereon as they established a double-digit lead, 60-50, in the final period after Guinita sank a three-point shot at the top of the key.
CIT-U even led by as many as 14, 68-54, en route to the the victory.
CIT-U will next face the the Southwestern University (SWU) Phinma Cobras on November 12.
UP-Cebu will have their backs against the wall as it takes on next the University of Southern Philippines-Foundation (USP-F) Panthers on Thursday, November 9.
/bmjo
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