Cebu loses third straight game, falling to San Juan

Cebu City, Philippines — The Cebu Classic faced another tough loss in the MPBL, falling 61-63 to the San Juan Knights on March 24 at the Nueva Ecija Coliseum. This loss marked Cebu's third straight defeat after starting their season with a win against Caloocan City. Dennis Santos led Cebu's scoring with 14 points, adding six rebounds and two steals. Limuel Tampus contributed 13 points and six rebounds, while Jameson Hiro added 12 points and five rebounds. Despite their efforts, Cebu could not clinch the victory. On the other side, Dexter Maiquez shone for San Juan in his team's season opener. He recorded a double-double with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Jose Manuel Sabandal, Kenneth Neil Villapando, and Orlan Wamar Jr. together scored 20 points. John Galinato also scored five points, which helped secure the win. San Juan started strong, taking an early 11-point lead. However, Cebu fought back with Gryan Mendoza ending a scoring drought. By the end of the first half, San Juan led 36-25. Cebu made a strong comeback in the third quarter, going on a 10-0 run and narrowing the gap to just one point. They then took a 41-39 lead. However, San Juan regained control, tying the game and eventually taking the lead again. In the final moments, San Juan held their ground. Wamar scored crucial free throws to secure the tight victory, despite late pushes from Hiro and Santos for Cebu.