The CEC Dragons players and coaching staff pose for a photo after their game in the Cesafi. | CDN Digital photo / Glendale Rosal
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons continue to make their presence felt in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) high school basketball tilt after taking down the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Baby Panthers, 77-68, on Saturday, November 11.
The win momentarily put the CEC Dragons at the fifth spot in the team standings with five wins and two defeats. They inflicted the Baby Panthers’ eighth loss in nine games good for 10th place in the standings.
Xerxes Yael Duran put up a game-high 22 points for the CEC Dragons. Jedrek Sabandal, Lybron James Lamo, and Kaelan Mack each scored 13 points for the Dragons during their game held at the Cebu Coliseum.
USPF’s John Ta-Ala spoiled his 18-point outing, so as Mark Lozano’s 11.
During the game, the CEC Dragons erected a double-digit lead, 43-32, in halftime after a nip-and-tuck first period.
Not to be outfought, the Baby Panthers clawed back in the third period to cut the lead to just three, 42-45, after unloading a 10-2 run, anchoring on Ta-Ala’s back-to-back treys.
However, the CEC Dragons retaliated with a 12-3 run to bring their lead to double-digits, 57-45, and didn’t look back all the way into the final sound of the buzzer.
USJR 69, CIT-U 44
Meanwhile, the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Baby Jaguars routed the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildkittens, 69-44, in the other high school game on Saturday.
The win improved USJ-R’s record to 5W-2L at the no. 3 spot in the team standings, while the Wildkittens are at the eighth place with their 2-6 slate.
Kyle Rueda paced the Baby Jaguars with his 19-point outing, while Ralph Sampan added 10 markers.
Sam Kyle Aballe was CIT-U’s lone double-digit scorer with 12 points.
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