The USJ-R Baby Jaguars players and coaching staff pose for a photo at center court after beating SHS-AdC. | Photo by Glendale Rosal
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Baby Jaguars once again proved to be the bane of the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles, securing a narrow 75-71 victory in the opening game of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) Season 24 High School Basketball Tournament on Saturday, September 28, at the Cebu Coliseum.
The win came exactly a year after USJ-R handed the reigning champions a 22-point defeat, 62-40, in last season’s opener.
While the margin was much closer this time, the result remained the same, with the Baby Jaguars emerging victorious once again.
The Magis Eagles, who received their championship trophy in a pre-game ceremony, struggled to find their rhythm early on and quickly fell behind by as many as 17 points, 39-22, in the first half.
Despite fielding a lineup featuring mostly rookies, SHS-AdC rallied in the second half but could never fully erase the deficit.
Rookie head coach Julius Cadavis, a former Magis Eagle himself, led USJ-R to victory, managing to outmaneuver his former team despite their late-game pressure.
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The Baby Jaguars, led by the trio of Jan Oringo, Clark Candia, and Kyle Barrieta, kept SHS-AdC at bay with timely scoring and crucial defensive stops.
Oringo spearheaded the attack with a stellar double-double performance, posting 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Candia added 13 points. Barrieta contributed 12 points, including three crucial free throws in the final minutes that helped fend off a late Magis Eagles surge.
Despite the loss, the Magis Eagles showed resilience in their comeback efforts, trimming the lead to seven points, 59-52, entering the final quarter.
Froilan Maglasang, who finished with 14 points, led the charge alongside Alden Cainglet, who chipped in 13 points.
However, their efforts weren’t enough as USJ-R continued to find answers down the stretch.
Late-game drama unfolded when the Magis Eagles, trailing by four points in the final 30 seconds, missed consecutive three-point attempts that could have changed the game’s outcome. Instead, the Baby Jaguars sealed the victory at the free-throw line. /clorenciana