Cesafi 24: UP Cebu opens season with gritty victory over CIT-U

UP Cebu Fighting Maroons players, coaching staff and admin officials pose for a photo after their win. | Glendale Rosal

CEBU CITY, Philippines— The University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu Fighting Maroons kickstarted their Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) Season 24 campaign with a gritty 74-64 win over the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildcats on Thursday evening at the Cebu Coliseum.

UP Cebu, anticipating a fierce rematch after last season’s elimination round loss to CIT-U, entered the contest with a bolstered roster, including three highly-touted rookies.

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Leading the charge was Kent Joshua Cabanlit, who earned ‘Player of the Game’ honors with an outstanding double-double performance—18 points, 13 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 steals, and 1 assist.

Supporting Cabanlit was former UAAP player Matt Flores, who also finished with a double-double game of 13 points, 15 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 assists in his debut for the Fighting Maroons. 

Andrew Padilla, another promising rookie, struggled to find his rhythm offensively but contributed on the boards with four rebounds and an assist.

The Wildcats, bolstered by players from the now-disbanded Southwestern University (SWU) Phinma Cobras, put up a relentless fight. 

Matthew Paras, a former University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguar, and Jerian Marc Abello, an ex-Cobra, led CIT-U with 12 points apiece in their Wildcats debut. 

Paras also registered a double-double, pulling down 13 rebounds, along with 2 steals and 1 block.

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UP’s head coach Rommel Rasmo revealed in the post-game interview that his Fighting Maroons played with extra motivation from UP alum Paul Desiderio and Jun Manzo who promised them a brand-new pair of shoes each if they win their first game. 

“Alam ko naman yung mga bata na, they really want to win because of Paul Desiderio and Jun Manzo. They gave pep talk to the players and promised to give them brand new shoes kung mananalo. That’s why yung mga bata motivated,” said Rasmo.

(You know the kids, they really want to win because of Paul Desiderio and Jun Manzo. They gave a pep talk to the players and promised to give them brand new shoes if they win. That’s why the kids were motivated.)

“In the end, I trust them because I know they won’t let the game slip away,” he said. 

Rasmo also said that Desiderio’s presence would add morale to his squad as the latter would soon join the team as a players’ skills coach. 

The tightly contested game saw 17 lead changes and 9 ties, with neither team willing to back down. CIT-U’s gritty defense and UP Cebu’s tenacity on both ends of the court kept the game in the balance until the final minutes.

UP Cebu veteran JZ Dizon, proved to be the difference-maker. 

Dizon, in his second season with the Fighting Maroons, contributed 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 steals, including a pair of crucial baskets that broke the game’s final deadlock. His back-to-back scores gave UP a 63-59 advantage with three minutes remaining.

CIT-U’s chances slipped away after a series of fouls sent Brandon Sainz and Marco Manaloto to the line, capped by a jumper from Cabanlit to bring UP’s lead to eight, 67-59, with 2:02 left.

CIT-U’s Romy Kirt Gonzaga momentarily halted UP’s run with a layup, but another foul put Manaloto back at the stripe, where he split his free throws to maintain a comfortable lead for UP at 68-61.

Flores, despite struggling from the field (4-of-12), delivered the knockout punch with a clutch three-pointer from the top of the key, stretching the lead to 11, 72-61, the largest of the game.

Paras scored CIT-U’s final basket, but it was too little, too late. Manaloto iced the game with another trip to the line, securing UP Cebu’s opening win.