USJ-R Jaguars team officials and players pose for a photo after their latest victory in the Cesafi on Sunday, November 25. | By Glendale Rosal
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars secured the last spot of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) Season 23 men’s basketball tournament after beating the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildcats, 77-63, on Sunday, November 26, 2023, at the Cebu Coliseum.
The Jaguars finished their elimination round campaign with seven wins and three defeats to lock in for the No. 4 spot. They will face the men’s basketball defending champions, the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers (9-0) that is currently playing against the No. 3 team, the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers (7-2).
Regardless of the Green Lancers and Panthers’ game outcome, the positioning remains the same since the latter defeated the Jaguars in the eliminations.
By virtue of Cesafi’s winner-over-the-other tie-breaker rule, the Panthers remain the No. 3 team in the semifinals. USPF will face the No. 2 team, the UC Webmasters which has a twice-to-beat advantage, so as UV.
The Jaguars were leading against CIT-U from the get-go. They finished the first period with a five-point lead, 13-8.
The Wildcats, however, clawed back and completely turned the game in their favor, 14-13.
However, that small run only awakened the Jaguars’ tenacity on the floor. The boys of head coach Melo Banua finished the second period with a 12-point lead, 38-26.
In the second half, the Wildcats showed some fight, cutting the lead to just five, 57-52, but the Jaguars made sure to enter the last 10 minutes of the game with a considerable eight-point cushion, 60-52.
The Jaguars, went on to finish the final period by unloading a 15-9 scoring run to balloon their lead to 14 point, 75-61, en route to securing their win.
Karl Ventura topscored USJ-R with 19 points, while team captain Jules Langres added 16 points, and the returning Milo Janao chipped in 11 markers after missing most of the elimination round games due to injury.
Clark Con-Ui paced the Wildcats with 15 points, while Joash Go tallied 11 markers and Ivan Cabodbod had 10 points as CIT-U wrapped up their dismal season with their 2-8 record.
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