The University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors secured a hard-fought 67-62 victory against the University of the Philippines (UP)-Cebu Fighting Maroons in a thrilling Cesafi men's basketball tournament matchup held at the Cebu Coliseum on Monday, November 24, 2025.
Gica's Flawless Shooting Leads the Charge
The Warriors' triumph was spearheaded by an extraordinary performance from sentinel James Paolo Gica. Gica was flawless from beyond the arc, sinking all six of his three-point attempts on his way to a team-high 18 points. He also contributed four rebounds in a display of marksmanship that proved pivotal for his team.
Despite Gica's hot hand, the game was far from one-sided. UP-Cebu mounted a serious challenge and even built a 57-50 lead with just 6:39 left on the clock, thanks to two successful free throws by Kent Joshua Cabanlit.
Fourth-Quarter Rally Seals the Win
Facing a potential defeat, the Warriors ignited a decisive 13-3 run to reclaim control of the game. This crucial stretch was powered by the combined efforts of Gica, Kyle Maglinte, Reil Einer Aureo, and Rey James Enriquez.
Enriquez was particularly instrumental in the closing moments, drilling a critical three-pointer and following it up with a layup to give USC a 63-60 advantage with only 49 seconds remaining. Although UP-Cebu's AJ Delos Reyes hit a jump shot to narrow the gap to a single point, Enriquez and Maglinte made key plays in the final seconds to seal the 67-62 victory for San Carlos.
Beyond Gica's heroics, Kyle Maglinte supported with 12 points, while Rey James Enriquez added 10 points. Reil Einer Aureo dominated the boards, pulling down 11 rebounds to go with his 7 points.
Playoff Implications and Upcoming Battles
This hard-earned win is vital for coach Paul Joven's USC squad, as it keeps them in contention for a spot in the Final Four. The Warriors currently hold fifth place with a 6-5 record, closely trailing the fourth-placed University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars, who have a 6-4 card.
Coach Joven remains optimistic about his team's chances to force a knockout match against USJ-R for the last semifinal slot. The Warriors have three games remaining in the elimination round. Their upcoming schedule is challenging, featuring a game against the league-leading University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters (9-2) on Thursday, November 27, a crucial rematch against USJ-R on Sunday, November 30, and a final game against the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers on December 4.
In their first encounter last October 18, USC narrowly defeated USJ-R 74-73 after James Paolo Gica hit a dramatic buzzer-beater with only 0.5 seconds left in overtime.
For the struggling UP-Cebu Fighting Maroons, who now hold a 1-10 record, AJ Reyes led the scoring with 13 points. Kent Joshua Cabanlit contributed 11 points, and Jayboy Manaloto chipped in 10 points.
In the high school division, the University of Cebu (UC) Baby Webmasters defeated the Don Bosco Technology College (DBTC) Greywolves, 89-79, in overtime. This result improved the Baby Webmasters' record to 4-3, while the Greywolves fell to 1-7.
