Benedicto, UC score wins to stay atop CESAFI hoops standings

Sports

THE Benedicto College (BC) Cheetahs and the University of Cebu (UC)-Main Webmasters posted separate wins to stay atop the standings of the CESAFI Season 26 collegiate basketball tournament on Sunday, Sept. 20, at the Cebu Coliseum.

The Cheetahs overcame a slow start to turn back the Cebu Institue of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildcats, 67-53.

BC, thus, stretched its unbeaten start to four, seizing the solo No. 1 spot despite trailing early 21-25. The Cheetahs turned things around by staging a back-breaking 16-3 run in the second quarter for a 37-28 lead at halftime.

Serge Gabines tallied 20 points while Kenneth Babalcon and Junil Bulan each had 12 points as Benedicto stayed as the only unbeaten team in the nine-team field.

Wayne Victor Gementiza scored 12 points for CIT-U, who suffered a second loss in four outings.

On other hand, the Webmasters stayed close with the Cheetahs in the standings after nipping the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers, 77-52.

Four players submitted twin digits for UC, which bounced back from a 50-67 loss to the Cheetahs and improved to 4-1.

Luther Gabriel Leonard scored 12 points, Maverick Angelo Eligoyo tallied 11 points and 12 rebounds, while Juan Raphael Garro and Jepherson Nonol each 10 points in the 25-point blowout.

Joie Perino had a near double-double after scoring nine

points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Ray Charles Libatog also scored nine markers in a balanced attack that allowed UC to lead by 27 points at one point.

Ashly Howard Dennison recorded 12 points and Christian Jayvee Deiparine had 11 for the Panthers, who dropped to 1-3.(CCM)