Cesafi: USC Warriors bag seventh win, rallies past UP Cebu
CEBU CITY, Philippines — The University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors notched their seventh victory in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) Season 26 men’s basketball tournament after rallying past the University of the Philippines Cebu (UP Cebu) Fighting Maroons, 61–57, on Saturday, October 31, at the Cebu Coliseum.
James Paolo Gica knocked down a clutch step-back triple with 42.3 seconds remaining to help USC seal the victory and improve to a 7–4 win-loss record, good for the No. 3 spot in the standings.
Gica led the Warriors with a game-high 18 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block. RJ Enriquez chipped in 11 points and six rebounds, while Jhoernel Tangkay finished with six points on 2-of-6 shooting in his return after missing back-to-back games.
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Brandon Sainz paced UP Cebu with 14 points, while Marco Manaloto added 11 as the Fighting Maroons dropped to a 2–8 record.
USC Warriors go clutch
USC had to overcome a nine-point deficit in the first half before finding its rhythm defensively and gradually working its way back into the game.
The Warriors tied the game at 31-all early in the third period on Kerk Louie Navarro’s runaway layup before taking their first lead, 36–34, by converting their opportunities and capitalizing on free throws.
UP Cebu managed to keep pace, tying the game at 37-all heading into the fourth quarter.
USC then appeared to take control in the final period, with Real Aureo converting a basket off a foul for a 46–40 lead. Enriquez followed with a triple before Uriel Avila added a basket and James Tawacal knocked down another three-pointer to stretch the Warriors’ advantage to 54–42 with five minutes remaining.
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Sainz sparked UP Cebu’s late rally, scoring a jumper and helping the Fighting Maroons cut the deficit to 56–50 with 2:11 left.
Andrew Padilla brought UP Cebu closer at 56–52, but Gica answered with a layup to preserve USC’s six-point lead.
Sainz then buried a triple to make it a one-possession game at 58–55, setting up a tense finish.
Gica, however, delivered the crucial blow with his step-back three-pointer with 42.3 seconds left, restoring a six-point cushion at 61–55. USC held on in the closing seconds to secure its seventh win of the season.
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