Cebu’s Team Khalifa, USPF advance to NBTC National Finals Fantastic 8

Cebuanos will have two representatives in the quarterfinals of the 2025 Smart-NBTC National Finals presented by SM Supermalls after Team Khalifa and University of Southern Philippines Foundation downed separate opponents, Wednesday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Team Khalifa, the Visayas regional champion, regrouped and rallied to stop FEU-Diliman dead in its tracks, 63-60, for the biggest upset in the Molten Supreme 16.

Johncel Borjal scored 24 points on top of four rebounds and three steals to show the way for the first Cebuano team to advance to the Playtime Cares Fantastic 8.

Just hours later, USPF joined them by dominating Jazzville Sports-Middle East, 79-54.

Luke Dy posted a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double, while Sebastian Verzosa had 12 markers of his own to keep the Baby Panthers alive and kicking in the grassroots program also sponsored by MNL Kingpin, Molten, Pocari Sweat, Burlington, Swish, and Buffalo’s Wings N’ Things.

Also in the quarterfinals is fancied Phenom Blue Fire-Pasay, but not before fending off fighting Chrisveil Sports-Cavite, 69-66.

Matthew Jucom topped the scoring column with 18 points to go with nine rebounds, as NBTC All-Star Kieffer Alas backstopped him with 14 markers and six boards.

UAAP finalists University of Santo Tomas and NU-Nazareth School are into the next round as well, after prevailing over Notre Dame of Midsayap and Fil-Am Clifton, respectively.

Charles Bucsit paced the Tiger Cubs with 14 markers, powering them to a 87-64 win against the Rams, runners-up from the Mindanao regionals.

For the Bullpups, it was Migs Palanca who pounded in a double-double performance of 25 points and 10 boards to crush the US-based Tigers, 83-63.

Fate was kinder to another American squad in Fil-Am Nation Select which marched forward in its title defense thanks to 62-55 triumph over Momsie’s Kitchenette-San Pablo.

Angelino Mark fired 21 points alongside seven rebounds for Team USA which is looking to join the Bullpups as the only back-to-back champions in the history of the Philippine under-19 basketball championship.

Another Fantastic 8 qualifier is Arellano, the lone NCAA side standing, courtesy of a 29-point rout of Batang Europa, 88-59.

Rounding out the quarterfinalists is i-Achievers Modern College from Nueva Ecija after staving off Sequoia Hotel-Team New Zealand, 58-50.

Meanwhile, the Division 2 quarterfinals cast is comprised of reigning titlist Top Flight Hoops-Canada after coming out on top of a high-scoring affair opposite Luid Kapampangan, 109-101, as University of San Jose-Recoletos secured a 71-66 come-from-behind win against Letran and Crossover Canada carved out a 89-73 victory vs. Toyland Bistro-Cagayan de Oro.

AGCCI, one more representative from Mindanao, is also set to continue its journey after eliminating Homegrown Australia, 54-51, as LCC-Bacolod El Tzino Davies outlasted Toyomoto Auto Supply, 68-65, and St. Jude College-Dasmarinas dealt a 115-73 beating to Proudly Pinoy FilCom-Italy.