The Benedicto College (BC) Baby Cheetahs delivered a commanding performance to overpower the Don Bosco Greywolves, 74-54, in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) 15-and-under basketball tournament. The game took place on Thursday, January 9, 2026, at the USC gym on Sanciangko Street in Cebu City.
Dominant Start for the Baby Cheetahs
Benedicto College seized control of the match right from the first quarter and never looked back. By the time the halftime buzzer sounded, they had built a formidable 45-24 lead. This decisive victory propelled the Baby Cheetahs into the group of early leaders in the tournament, which had its start delayed due to calamities the previous year.
Raphy Pasaje led the scoring charge for the victors with 14 points. He received solid support from Archie Enriquez and Karl Silva, who contributed 10 points each. For the Don Bosco Greywolves, Anton Sasuman was the top scorer with 10 points.
Other Teams Secure Second Consecutive Wins
On the same day of action, three other squads continued their winning ways, each notching their second straight victory in the young tournament.
The defending champions, University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers, faced a tough challenge from the Sacred Heart School–Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles. Led by Mac Lebron Val Mingoy's 18-point outing, UV managed to secure a 67-58 win. The Baby Lancers established a 38-24 cushion by halftime, but Ateneo mounted a fierce fourth-quarter rally, closing the gap to just six points. However, two consecutive three-pointers by UV halted the comeback and sealed the deal.
Last year's runners-up, the Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons, showcased a powerful offense to defeat the University of San Carlos Baby Warriors, 73-52. Cedric dela Rosa fired 18 points for the Dragons, who raced to a 27-10 first-quarter lead and never relinquished control. Despite a fighting spirit from USC, they could not overcome the Dragons' steady play under coach Mark Anthony Tallo.
The newcomer Cebu Institute of Technology–University (CIT-U) Baby Wildcats also made their mark, overpowering the University of San Jose–Recoletos (USJ-R) Baby Jaguars, 68-55. John Paul Desquitado scored 14 points and Mak Juan Geraldez added 12 in the winning effort. Assistant coach Floyd Taboada praised his team's execution, emphasizing their "defense first" philosophy.
Looking Ahead to the Next Games
With these results, UV, CEC, and CIT-U all improved to perfect 2-0 records. Ateneo and USC, meanwhile, fell to 0-2. The tournament action is set to continue on Saturday at the UV gym, where the focus will shift to the 12-under division starting at 1 p.m.
The schedule features CIT-U facing USC in the opener, followed by defending champion CEC Dragons battling Ateneo. The main game will see the Don Bosco Greywolves aiming to bounce back against the USJ-R Jaguars.
