Espiritu erupts for 38 as CED Titans outlast CBA Jaguars in OT thriller to clinch finals berth

Riding on Vince-Ceth Espiritu’s explosive 38-point performance, the College of Education (CED) Titans weathered the College of Business Administration (CBA) Jaguars’ second-half comeback and won the tense overtime battle, 83–80, to secure a spot in the championship round of the 2026 PLM Men’s Basketball Tournament at Rajah Sulayman Gymnasium on Nov 4.

With Espiritu’s scoring prowess leading the charge, the CED Titans stood firm against every challenge and emerged victorious to claim their place in the championship spotlight.

Setting the pace from the opening tip, Espiritu spearheaded the Titans’ ascend, unleashing an early offensive barrage as he sank back-to-back triples before his teammates capitalized on fast breaks and shots inside the paint to establish a 20-13 cushion at the end of the opening frame.

Refusing to fall further behind, the Jaguars clawed their way back from a 10-point deficit, trimming the Titans’ advantage to six, 39–33, by halftime.

CBA Jaguars returned from the break with renewed intensity, gradually chipping away at the six-point deficit before knotting the score at 43 apiece and taking their first lead, 46-47.

Continuing their surge, the Jaguars completed their third-quarter turnaround with a trey that widened their advantage to 46-50, putting the Titans on the back foot heading into the final frame.

Trailing 52–46, Espiritu spearheaded CED’s comeback with a string of baskets and converted free throws, as the Titans traded buckets with the Jaguars to trim the deficit to two, 63–65.

Despite faltering four crucial free throws, Espiritu capitalized on the Jaguars’ two missed game-ending free throws and a costly backcourt violation to tie the game at 65-all with a putback and force overtime.

The extra period brought another exchange of leads as both squads refused to surrender, with the Jaguars surging ahead, 76-79, after knocking down back-to-back three-pointers.

Rising above the challenge, the Most Valuable Player (MVP) Espiritu took command of the hardwood, converting a foul-counted layup before sinking two ice-cold free throws to cap his performance and propel the Titans into the finals.

The CED Titans are set to return to the court on Friday for the championship game, where they will face a rival, CISTM Pythons in a battle for the 2026 PLM Men’s Basketball title.