CEC’s Joaqui Larrazabal pulls up for a jumper during their Cesafi Season 24 high school game against Benedicto College. | Cesafi photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons delivered a commanding 68-37 win against the Benedicto College Baby Cheetahs in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) High School Basketball Tournament on Sunday, October 27, at the Cebu Coliseum.
This victory bolstered the Dragons’ Final Four aspirations, elevating their record to 6-2 and placing them firmly among the top four teams in the high school division standings. They are now behind the three leading teams, USJ-R, SHS-AdC, and UC, who are tied with 6-1 records.
Sunday’s win in the Cesafi came as a much-needed bounce-back for CEC following a tough 60-74 loss to the SHS-AdC Magis Eagles in their previous outing.
READ: CESAFI: SHS-AdC Magis Eagles tame Dragons for 5th straight win
On the other hand, Benedicto College’s struggles continue, as they fell to a 1-7 slate, virtually eliminating their chances of advancing to the Final Four in their inaugural season of Cesafi.
Kenneth Robert Fuller Jr. starred for the Dragons, earning “Player of the Game” honors with an impressive stat line of 11 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three steals, and a block.
READ: CEC Dragons secure back-to-back wins in Cesafi Season 24
Louie Jay Estorba led all scorers with a game-high 13 points, along with three rebounds and a steal. Team captain Lybron James Lamo also contributed nine points, helping CEC maintain control throughout the game.
For Benedicto College, Jacis Abraham Bensi was the standout performer, scoring 12 points, while Kyle Andre Nalisa added 10 points. However, the Baby Cheetahs struggled to keep pace with the Dragons, trailing by as much as 31 points at one stage, with a score of 50-19.
READ: CESAFI Season 24: UV routs CEC to end winning streak
The statistics highlighted CEC’s dominance across the board, outscoring Benedicto 40-14 in the paint, forcing 25 turnovers to convert into 4 points, and winning the fast break battle 22-8. The Dragons also benefited from their bench, contributing 34 points compared to Benedicto’s 21.
DBTC Edges CRMC in Nail-Biter
In another exciting matchup in the Cesafi on Sunday, the Don Bosco Technical College (DBTC) Greywolves edged out the Cebu Roosevelt Memorial Colleges (CRMC) Baby Mustangs in a nail-biting 75-73 contest.
James Kennedy Plano led the Greywolves with a double-double performance, scoring 18 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, along with three steals, one assist, and one block.
Carmelson Abangan also recorded a double-double, contributing 13 points and 10 boards. Additionally, teammates Angelo Dela Cruz and Dirk Louis Baguio scored 13 and 10 points, respectively, as DBTC improved their record to 2-5, while CRMC fell to 1-6.