The race for the last semifinal ticket in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) secondary basketball tournament concluded with high drama, as the Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Baby Dragons clinched the final berth following a complex tie-breaking procedure on Thursday, December 4, 2025.
A Victory That Wasn't Enough
In the final elimination round game held at the Cebu Coliseum, the University of Cebu (UC) Baby Webmasters delivered a strong performance, defeating the University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers with a score of 74-65. However, this crucial win created an unexpected logjam in the standings. The result forced a triple tie between UC, the Cebu Institute of Technology–University (CIT-U) Junior Wildcats, and the CEC Dragons, all finishing with identical 7-3 win-loss records.
Despite their victory, the UC Baby Webmasters' celebration was cut short. Under the league's multiple-tie breaking system, which uses a quotient calculation based on the point differentials in games among the tied teams, UC found themselves at a disadvantage. Their eight-point win over CEC (66-58) was offset by a twelve-point loss to CIT-U (67-79), resulting in a final quotient score of 0.97.
How the Quotient System Decided the Fate
The mathematical computation ultimately determined the two teams advancing to the semifinals alongside early qualifiers. CIT-U Junior Wildcats emerged with the highest quotient of 1.04, securing the third seed. They achieved this despite a six-point loss to CEC (52-58), thanks to their significant 79-67 victory over UC.
The Cebu Eastern College Baby Dragons secured the coveted fourth and final slot with a quotient of 0.98. Their path was forged by their six-point triumph over CIT-U (58-52), which balanced their eight-point defeat to UC (58-66). This narrow margin was enough to push them through to the next round.
Semifinals Picture is Set
With the elimination round drama settled, the Final Four cast is complete. The CEC Dragons and CIT-U Junior Wildcats will join the top-seeded University of Cebu–Lapu-Lapu/Mandaue (UCLM) and the second-seeded defending champions, the Sacred Heart School–Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles.
The elimination round formally concludes on Friday, December 5, with a match between UCLM and the Don Bosco Technology Center Greywolves. This game will be held at the USC Gym due to the unavailability of the Cebu Coliseum. While a UCLM win will not change the Top Four rankings, a loss could potentially reshuffle the semifinal seeding.
All eyes now turn to the Cebu Coliseum on Saturday, December 6, where the semifinal stage of the Cesafi high school basketball tournament will officially begin, promising more thrilling hardwood action.
