IT’S not how you start, but it’s how you finish. The Cebu Institute of Technology-University (CIT-U) Wildkittens showed this as they charged back from a lethargic first half and took down the University of San Carlos (USC) Baby Warriors, 70-62, in the secondary division of the 24th Cebu Schools Athletic Federation Inc. (CESAFI) Basketball Tournament on Saturday, October 19, at the Cebu Coliseum.

The come-from-behind win gave the Wildkittens a mini streak, prevailing again after scoring an impressive 65-61 win over last year’s losing finalists University of the Visayas Baby Lancers last Sunday.

CIT-U now holds a 3-2 (win-loss) record while keeping USC winless as the Baby Warriors crashed to 0-5.

The Wildkittens started poorly, scoring just three points in the game’s first five minutes. USC was quick to capitalize CIT-U's ice-cold start, ending the opening period with a 22-15 lead, and was still in control at the end of the first half, 37-28.

It seemed that the halftime break was what the Wildkittens needed to regroup as they greeted the third period with guns ablaze and went on to tie the contest at 50-all, heading into the fourth quarter.

CIT-U sustained its mighty comeback in the fourth stanza, stealing the upper-hand, 60-54, midway through the quarter and never looked back.

Ryko John Batuigas, Cyrus Joeff Abadies, and Kieff Russel Suarez all scored in double figures, combining for 50 points to lead CIT-U’s morale-boosting win.

Batuigas finished with 22 points, Abadies chipped in 15, and Suarez had 13.

Brad Miguel Yu fired 20 points and Xian Garcia scattered 17 markers but USC still couldn’t end its woes despite leading by as many as 11 points.(CCM)

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• #Cebu Institute of Technology University Wildkittens
• #University of San Carlos Baby Warriors
• #24th Cebu Schools Athletic Federation Inc.
• #Cesafi
• #Basketball
• #Cebu Sports