CED Titans, CISTM Pythons rout foes, bag semis spot in men's basketball

Chasing championship glory, the College of Education (CED) Titans and College of Information Systems and Technology Management (CISTM) Pythons trounced their quarterfinal opponents to book their tickets to the semifinals of the 2026 PLM Men’s Basketball tournament at Rajah Sulayman Gymnasium, Oct. 24.

The quarterfinal matchups produced two commanding victories as the CED Titans cruised to a 74-30 win, while the CISTM Pythons bared their fangs to secure a resounding 81-8 triumph that forced their opponents to concede, sending both teams through to the semis.

The Titans set the pace early against the College of Physical Therapy (CPT) Pirates, stringing together 13 unanswered points in a blistering scoring run that put their opponents on the back foot from the outset.

Ahead by 15-6, Vince-Ceth Espiritu spearheaded the Titans’ charge as they neutralized the Pirates’ scoring attempts, forging an ironclad defense while rattling off 34 straight points through drives and jumpers that ballooned their lead to 49-6.

The Pirates attempted to mount a comeback in the second half, but the Titans quelled their offensive bid and continued to widen the gap, capping off their dominant performance with a 74-30 victory, highlighted by Espiritu’s 30-point outing.

In an even more lopsided matchup, Argus Joseph Alday fueled the CISTM Pythons’ offensive surge, pouring in 22 of the team’s 29 points to establish a commanding 29-2 lead over the College of Public Administration (CPA) Lions.

Building on their early momentum, the Pythons sank their fangs deeper, clamping down on the Lions with a high-octane defensive display as Alday continued to lead their offensive onslaught, extending their advantage to 49-5 by the end of the first half.

With four minutes remaining, the Pythons’ relentless defense and unyielding scoring assault propelled them to an insurmountable 81-8 lead, prompting the Lions to concede the game, while Alday was hailed as the Most Valuable Player (MVP).

The CISTM Pythons and CED Titans advanced to the semifinals in dominant fashion, joining the CE Knights and CBA Jaguars in the race for the championship as the competition enters a high-stakes round where every victory brings them closer to the title.