Keaton Clyde Taburnal pulls up a jumper during their Cesafi Season 24 game against UP Cebu. | Photo from Sugbuanong Kodaker
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Cebu Roosevelt Memorial College (CRMC) Mustangs finally found their footing in Cesafi Season 24, after they secured their first win with a hard-fought 78-71 victory over the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu Fighting Maroons on Thursday night, October 3, at the Cebu Coliseum.
After starting the season with two straight losses, the Mustangs broke through in a tightly contested game that featured 14 lead changes and 11 ties.
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The win was a significant boost for CRMC, which was looking to turn around its 0-2 start, while UP Cebu was eager to build on the momentum of their season-opening win against the University of San Carlos.
Keaton Clyde Taburnal emerged as the hero for the Mustangs, leading all scorers with 26 points, along with 9 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 assist. Taburnal’s clutch free throws in the final minute helped secure the victory for CRMC, who now sits at 1-2 in the standings, while UP Cebu falls to 1-1.
The game was a thriller down the stretch, with Taburnal tying the score at 70-all with 1:26 left, courtesy of a perfectly executed inbound pass.
Earl Laniton, a rookie for CRMC, then added a crucial basket with 40 seconds remaining to push the Mustangs ahead, 72-70.
Both teams struggled with ball control in the closing moments, with missed shots and turnovers making for a chaotic finish.
UP Cebu’s JZ Dizon, who tallied 14 points, missed a critical three-pointer, allowing Taburnal to secure the rebound. In a desperate attempt to regain possession, UP Cebu’s rookie guard Andrew Padilla fouled Taburnal, sending him to the line where he calmly knocked down both free throws, extending the Mustangs’ lead to 74-70 with 19.5 seconds left.
UP Cebu had a chance to close the gap, but another misstep—a failed alley-oop attempt from Dizon to Kent Joshua Cabanlit—resulted in a costly turnover. Taburnal, once again sent to the free throw line, split his attempts to make it 75-70 in favor of CRMC.
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In a late-game twist, Taburnal fouled Dizon on a three-point attempt, giving UP a glimmer of hope.
However, Dizon only converted one of his three free throws, failing to capitalize on the opportunity. With just 11 seconds left, Taburnal returned to the charity stripe, hitting one more free throw to extend CRMC’s lead to 76-71, effectively sealing the game.
CRMC’s Redjhee Recimiento then secured a loose ball from a botched UP inbound pass, was fouled, and calmly knocked down both free throws to cap off the Mustangs’ first victory of the season, 78-71.
Aside from Taburnal’s standout performance, Dale Otero chipped in 10 points, 5 rebounds, and a steal for CRMC. Recimiento and Jhaylord Castro added nine points apiece to the winning effort.
The game wasn’t without its setbacks. CRMC’s team captain Paolo Dalumpines fouled out late in the game, while UP Cebu’s promising rookie Matt Flores suffered a leg injury in the closing minutes, leaving the Fighting Maroons shorthanded during the critical stretch.
Cabanlit topscored UP Cebu anew with 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Flores had nine points, seven boards, four assists, two blocks, and two steals before he sat out in the remainder of the final period.
With the win, CRMC hopes to build momentum in their upcoming games as they aim to climb further up the standings.