UC Webmasters players huddle up during their Sinulog Cup 2024 Basketball Tournament game. | Photo from Ronex Tolin
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters ended the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars’ impressive run with a dominating, 82-59, in their knockout game on Friday evening, January 19, at the Cebu City Sports Institute (CCSI) to barge into the in the Sinulog Cup 2024 Basketball Tournament’s Bracket A.
UC of head coach Kernn Sesante only needed a single win to qualify in the cash-rich Sinulog Cup’s main competition, and they did it with an exclamation point.
Steven Ursal impressed UC in his debut game with the team. He had a double-double game of 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Ursal wasn’t seen on UC’s line-up in the last Cesafi season after spending his residency year since he’s a transferee from the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers.
Also scoring 10 points was Ricofer Sordilla, while TJ Machete finished with six points and four rebounds.
Danie Lapiz and Jhiey Paraldo each scored nine points in beating USJ-R.
Jay Deiparine and Elmer Echavez both scored 12 points in USJ-R’s losing efforts. Echavez paired it with 10 rebounds to finish with a double-double.
The Webmasters led as many as 27 points, 81-54, in the endgame to clinch a spot in bracket A of the Sinulog Cup 2024 proper that kicks off on January 23 at the CCSI.
They will be grouped with the tournament’s defending champion EGS, United Negros Basketball League (UNBL), and Team Khalifa-Tacloban.
CRMC 70, SWU-Phinma 60
Also advancing into the tournament proper was the Cebu Roosevelt Memorial Colleges (CRMC) Mustangs after they won over the Southwestern University-Phinma Cobras, 70-60.
The Mustangs will join Group B with OCCCI Sheermasters, Chase Tower Runs, and Z-Nars Jewelry-Marawi in the tournament proper.
Redjhee Recimiento and Josiah Roa each scored 13 points to lead CRMC, while Earl Laniton unloaded 11 points and Paulo Dalumpines with 10 markers.
JM Abello and Kyle Maglinte scored 14 and 13 points in SWU-Phinma’s losing efforts.
The champion of the tournament sponsored by Sinulog Foundation Inc. will take home P150,000. The first runner-up will pocket P100,000, while the third and fourth placers will receive P50,000 and P25,000, respectively.
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