Mustangs make rousing  debut in CESAFI caging

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu Roosevelt Memorial Colleges (CRMC) Mustangs relied on a solid endgame performance anchored on combo guards Keaton Clyde Taburnal and Paulo Dalumpines to outshine the Felipe R. Verallo Foundation College Blue Dragons, 66-63, in a thrilling battle of league newcomers from the City of Bogo in the 23rd CESAFI men’s basketball tournament over the weekend at the Cebu Coliseum.

Taburnal unloaded a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Dalumpines chipped in with 15 markers and three rebounds. They combined for 12 of CRMC’s last 14 points that enabled the Mustangs to snatch a historic victory from the jaws of defeat.

Dalumpines hit a booming 3-pointer to break a 58-all deadlock at the final 2:04 mark. Taburnal then sank a mid-range jumper before Dalumpines scored on another crucial basket capping a 7-0 blitz that gave the Mustangs a 65-60 breather with only 10.8 seconds left to play.

Overall, the Mustangs of coach Paul Alelu Flores outclassed the Blue Dragons in the final period, 19-12, to fashion out a come-from-behind win.

Kean Planco finished with 14 points and two rebounds in a losing effort for the Blue Dragons.

In the juniors division, the Cebu Eastern College (CEC) Blue Dragons breathed fire  - literally and figuratively - on the way to annihilate the Don Bosco Greywolves, 68-46.

Caelan Mack dropped 24 points, eight rebounds and two steals for the Dragons, who took full control of the match after racing to a 17-8 start. 

Comfortably ahead at halftime, 43-27, the red-hot Dragons kept on spewing fire the rest of the way leading to a masterful 22-point demolition of the hapless Greywolves.

Jyle Andrey Roa was the other double-digit scorer for CEC with  10 points, five rebounds, five assists, and five steals.

Mel Villareal and Christopher Bas produced the same numbers of 14 points and four rebounds but their efforts went for naught for Don Bosco.