UV’s Roderick Cambarijan Jr. drives to the basket during their CESAFI Season 24 clash against DBTC. | Photo from Sugbuanong Kodaker
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers delivered an emphatic 127-70 victory over Don Bosco Technical College (DBTC) in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) Season 24 High School Basketball Tournament on Thursday, November 7, at the Cebu Coliseum.
With this win, the Baby Lancers improved to a 6-2 record, tying them with the Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons in the standings. However, UV surged ahead of CEC into the No. 4 spot based on their previous victory over the Dragons, a 99-85 decision on October 1. This crucial win bolstered UV’s position in the race for a Final Four spot.
On the other hand, DBTC’s playoff hopes were effectively dashed as the Greywolves fell to 2-6, marking their sixth loss in eight games.
This blowout victory also set a season record, as UV became the first team to surpass the 100-point mark. The Baby Lancers dominated throughout the game, building a commanding 63-point lead at one point, with the score ballooning to 87-24 midway through the third quarter.
UV capitalized on DBTC’s turnovers, outscoring them 59-26 in points off turnovers. The Greywolves committed a staggering 44 turnovers, while the Baby Lancers limited their own miscues to a manageable 26. UV also controlled the interior, dominating the paint 64-26 and winning the battle for second-chance points (24-9) as well as fast-break points (54-8).
Roderick Cambarijan Jr. was the standout performer for UV, finishing with a game-high 23 points along with seven rebounds, one assist, and one steal. Cambarijan was incredibly efficient, converting 9-of-12 field goals for an impressive 75% shooting clip.
Christophelcian Abellana was also red-hot, contributing 21 points, including a stellar 5-of-7 shooting performance from beyond the arc. John Dela Torre added 13 points, while Jhunrel Dagatan chipped in 12.
For DBTC, Carmelson Paul Abangan led the charge with 18 points, while Angelo Dela Cruz and Jasheed Cyril Ybarra added 15 and 11 points, respectively, in a losing effort.