The University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors achieved a remarkable victory against the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) Jaguars, winning 95-93 in a thrilling three-overtime game. This historic match took place on Sunday, December 30, 2025, at the Cebu Coliseum as part of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) men”s basketball tournament.
With this victory, the Warriors are now just one win away from securing the fourth and final spot in the semifinals as the elimination round approaches its conclusion. The Jaguars, on the other hand, face the challenge of needing to win their remaining two games against the University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters on Tuesday, December 2, and the Benedicto College (BC) Cheetahs on Friday, December 5. Simultaneously, they must hope that the USC loses to the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) Panthers on Thursday.
In the event that both USC and USJ-R win their upcoming matches, leading to a tie, USC holds the advantage due to the rule favoring the team that defeated the other in head-to-head play. Earlier in the season, the Warriors also edged out the Jaguars in a closely contested overtime game, finishing 74-73.
This game marked a significant milestone for Cesafi, as it was the first time in the league”s 25-year history that a match extended to three overtimes. Danny Duran, the deputy commissioner, stated that he could not recall any previous games reaching such a length, even during the era of the former Cebu Amateur Athletic Association (CAAA).
