CE Knights conquer CBA Jaguars in Men's Basketball Finals Game 1

The battle for the endgame has begun, as the College of Engineering (CE) Knights stormed the court to claim an 80–73 victory over the College of Business Administration (CBA) Jaguars in the game 1 of the men’s basketball finals held at the Rajah Sulayman Gymnasium on November 7.

Robin Austine Baez spearheaded the Knights with 16 points along with Craig Andre Metiam, who secured 5 points and 6 steals, while Nikolai Cesario paced the Jaguars with 18 points.

The first quarter began by a shot-for-shot duel between the two teams, but Knights’ Baez hit three mid-range jumpers, and Metiam’s steal and fastbreak layup closed the first quarter with a 25–14 lead.

The intensity rose in the second quarter as the Jaguars’ Cesario pulled up back-to-back three-pointers, but the Knights remained unfazed, with Metiam leading tight defensive clamps to maintain their lead at 40–33.

Baez started the third quarter by draining a three-pointer to seize the momentum for the Knights, while Jaguars responded with strong defensive stops to close the gap to 64–58.

Entering the fourth period of the match, the Jaguars fought to narrow the lead, but John Benedict Horario erupted with a three-pointer, swinging momentum back to the Knights and sealing their 80–73 victory.

The Knights are one win away from taking the championship title, while the Jaguars will look to force a decisive game to keep their title hopes alive.

The second finals matchup, originally set for November 11, was postponed due to inclement weather and has been rescheduled to November 12.