The University of Cebu (UC) Baby Webmasters ended their elimination round campaign in the Cesafi secondary basketball tournament on a winning note, but the victory was bittersweet as it was not enough to secure a semifinal berth.
A Victorious Yet Heartbreaking Finale
On Thursday, December 4, 2025, at the Cebu Coliseum, the UC Baby Webmasters defeated their rivals, the University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Lancers, with a final score of 74-65. Despite this strong finish, the team's journey in the tournament came to an abrupt end due to the league's complex tie-breaking rules.
The win created a three-way tie for the remaining semifinal spots. UC, the Cebu Institute of Technology–University (CIT-U) Junior Wildcats, and the Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Dragons all finished the elimination round with identical 7-3 win-loss records.
The Crucial Quotient System Decides Fate
To break the deadlock, the Cesafi employed a multiple-tie breaking system based on the quotient of points from the games among the tied teams. The calculations delivered a harsh verdict for the Baby Webmasters.
University of Cebu (UC) ended with a quotient score of 0.97. They had beaten CEC by eight points (66-58) but lost to CIT-U by twelve (67-79).
Cebu Eastern College (CEC) secured a slightly higher quotient of 0.98. Their record included a six-point win over CIT-U (58-52) and an eight-point loss to UC (58-66).
The team that emerged on top was the CIT-U Junior Wildcats, who clinched the highest quotient at 1.04. They recovered from a loss to CEC (52-58) with a decisive 79-67 victory over UC.
Final Four Field is Set
With the tie resolved, the semifinal cast is now complete. The CIT-U Junior Wildcats and the CEC Dragons will join the early qualifier, University of Cebu Lapu-Lapu/Mandaue (UCLM), and the defending champions, the Sacred Heart School–Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles.
As the elimination round concluded, UCLM held the top spot in the semifinals bracket, with Ateneo de Cebu in second place. CIT-U and CEC will enter as the third and fourth seeds, respectively.
The semifinal round was originally scheduled to begin on Saturday, December 6, at the Cebu Coliseum. However, the games have been postponed to Sunday, December 7, due to the threat of tropical depression Wilma.
In other Cesafi action, the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) closed its season with a 62-57 win over the University of San Carlos on Thursday, highlighted by a quick jumper from Keaton Clyde Taburnal (18).
