THE University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars blew away the Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildcats, 77-63, to nab the final ticket to the Final Four of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) Season 23 collegiate basketball tournament on Sunday, Nov. 26, 2023 at the Cebu Coliseum.

The Jaguars ended the elimination round with a 7-3 (win-loss) card and will take on the reigning champions and top-seeded University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers in the semifinal round. UV will have a twice-to-beat advantage over USJ-R.

Cat-quick guard Karl Malone Ventura led USJ-R in scoring with 19 points, while veteran Justine Jules Langres chipped in 16 markers.

CIT-U ended its forgettable season with a 2-8 record.

In the other collegiate game, the UV Green Lancers completed a 10-0 sweep of the elimination round after it trounced the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers, 70-54.

Kent Ivo Salarda and King Harvie Orcullo scored 15 and 13 points, respectively, for the Green Lancers.

Despite the loss, USPF will still advance to the semifinals where the team will battle the second-seeded University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters. The Webmasters need only to win once to return to the championship round.

Meanwhile, in the high school division, the USJ-R Baby Jaguars captured the top-seed in the Final Four with a 61-57 win over the University of Cebu Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue (UCLM) Webmasters.

USJ-R finished the elimination round with a 9-1 record. UCLM dropped to the third-seed, with the defending champions SHS-Ateneo de Cebu taking the second-seed after they beat the latter in their elims match-up.

USJ-R will battle UV while Ateneo de Cebu takes on UCLM in the semifinals. USJ-R and Ateneo de Cebu will hold a twice-to-beat advantage over their respective foes.