Cesafi elimination round ends this weekend

From left, SHS-AdC’s Jared Bahay, UCLM’s Geo Rey Lumagod, USJ-R’s Kyle Rueda, and UV’s Roderick Cambarijian. | Photos from Sugbuanong Kodaker

CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) basketball tournament wraps up its elimination round this weekend at the Cebu Coliseum.

A total of eight games will be played this weekend, most of which will determine the final four teams in both the men’s and high school divisions.

On Saturday, November 25, four games will be played starting with the high school defending champions, the Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles seeking a twice-to-beat advantage in the final four.

The Magis Eagles, who are currently ranked No. 3 in the 11-team high school division, has a record of 7-2 (win-loss).  They will take on the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildkittens at 12:30 p.m. 

A win could put SHS-AdC back at the No. 2 spot. The Magis Eagles lost that spot after bowing down to the Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons, 61-71, last November 18. 

The University of Cebu Lapu-Lapu Mandaue (UCLM) Webmasters (8-1) and the No. 2 University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Baby Jaguars (8-1) will vie for the top spot of the team standings on Sunday at 2 p.m. 

If USJ-R wins over UCLM, this would give the Magis Eagles the chance to clinch the No. 2 spot and the twice-to-beat advantage based on Cesafi’s winner over the other tie breaker rule. 

However, the Magis Eagles must beat the Wildkittens first and the Baby Jaguars defeat the Webmasters to determine which among these three teams will occupy three of the four semifinal slots and enjoy a twice-to-beat advantage 

Meanwhile, the University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Green Lancers (6-3) must also win their last remaining elimination round match against the City of Bogo Science and Arts Academy (CBSAA) Trailblazers in the second high school game on Saturday. 

A win over CBSAA will secure the Baby Green Lancers the last spot of the semifinals, considering they beat UC last November 12. The only way the Baby Green Lancers will be eliminated if it losed to CBSAA.

COLLEGE DIVISION

In the college division, the CRMC Mustangs (4-5) are also eyeing the final spot of the final four as they take on the Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras at 5 p.m Saturday.

Beating the Cobras would surely improve the Mustangs’ chances to make it to the semifinals since they have beaten the current No. 5 team, the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors (5-5) in the elimination round. 

However, the college division’s No. 4 spot in the semifinals will only be determined based on the Cesafi officials’ outcome of their investigation on the case of USJ-R’s EJ Agbong, who is in hot waters for his questionable records submitted to the Cesafi screening committee. 

If Cesafi proves that Agbong’s records aren’t eligible, this would jeopardize USJ-R’s hopes of making it into the semifinals as there will be an appropriate sanction to this. 

Still, Cesafi officials have yet to make an announcement on Agbong and USJ-R’s fate regarding this issue. 

USJ-R is currently holding the No.4 spot in the men’s team standings with a 6W-3L record. They have one remaining elimination round game against the CIT-U Wildcats on Sunday, at 3:30 p.m, and beating the latter would cement their hold of the last remaining semifinals spot. 

The other games to be played this weekend is between the No. 2 UC Webmasters against Benedicto College on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

On Sunday, USP-F and USC will play in the high school division at 12:30 in the afternoon. 

/bmjo

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