In a heart-stopping Cesafi men's basketball showdown, the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters narrowly defeated the Benedicto College (BC) Cheetahs, 58-56, in a game that went down to the final second on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at the Cebu Coliseum.
A Nail-Biting Finish Seals Victory
The match was a tightly contested battle, featuring eight deadlocks throughout the game. With just three minutes left on the clock and the score tied, Ricofer Sordilla of UC delivered a crucial three-pointer, breaking the stalemate and giving the Webmasters a 55-52 lead. UC then extended their advantage to 58-54 after a basket from Charles Libatog with 1:44 remaining.
Benedicto College refused to surrender. Jhon Loufred Diamante hit a jumper with 1:06 left, cutting UC's lead to a precarious 56-58. The game reached a dramatic climax in the final second when BC's Albert Joshua Tolipas stole the ball from Sordilla at midcourt and raced for a potential game-tying layup. However, his shot was ruled invalid as time had already expired, sealing the hard-fought victory for the Webmasters.
Standings Implications and Individual Performances
This critical win propelled the UC Webmasters to the No. 1 spot in the team standings with an 11-2 record. This dominant position earned them a coveted twice-to-beat advantage against the No. 4 team in the upcoming semifinals.
Meanwhile, the Benedicto College Cheetahs fell to an 8-3 record, settling for third place behind the defending champions, the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers (10-2). To secure the second seat in the Top Four, the Cheetahs must now win all of their three remaining elimination round games, which includes a challenging rematch against UV.
Once again, Ricofer Sordilla led the Webmasters in scoring with 24 points. He was supported by Charles Libatog and John Cark Angelio, who contributed eight points each. For the valiant Cheetahs, Albert Joshua Tolipas top-scored with 18 points, while Den Rick Orgong added 14.
Cesafi Football Highlights
In other Cesafi action from the boys' secondary football tournament, the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) edged Don Bosco Technical College (DBTC), 1-0. The lone goal was scored by Luis Vincent Fernandez in the 30th minute at the Cebu City Sports Center.
In another match, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) delivered a strong performance, defeating San Carlos School of Cebu (SCSC) with a score of 4-1. John James Santos scored the first two goals for SHS-AdC in the 5th and 30th minutes, while Antonio Benito Canton tallied his own brace in the 48th and 59th minutes. Voughn Hendrik Sundo managed to score the only goal for DBTC in the 80th minute.
