TWO teams representing Cebu will compete in the quarterfinal round of the 2025 Smart-NBTC National Finals after Team Khalifa and University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) defeated separate opponents on Wednesday, April 2, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Team Khalifa, the Visayas regional champion, scored a major upset after it outlasted Far Eastern University-Diliman, 63-60, in the Molten Supreme 16.

Johncel Borjal led Team Khalifa’s resounding win by tallying 24 points, four rebounds, and three steals.

Before Team Khalifa’s big win, USPF clinched its own quarterfinal berth by routing Jazzville Sports-Middle East, 79-54.

Luke Dy showed the way for USPF with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Sebastian Verzosa backed Dy with a 12-point output.

Also advancing to the quarterfinals is the fancied Phenom Blue Fire-Pasay, which downed Chrisveil Sports-Cavite, 69-66.

Matthew Jucom paced Phenom Blue Fire-Pasay with 18 and nine rebounds while NBTC All-Star Kieffer Alas chipped in 14 points and six boards.

UAAP finalists University of Santo Tomas (UST) and National University (NU)-Nazareth School also advanced to the quarters after defeating Notre Dame of Midsayap and Fil-Am Clifton, respectively.

Charles Bucsit collected 14 markers as UST nipped Rams, runners-up from the Mindanao regionals, 87-64.

NU, for its part, dominated US-based Tigers, 83-63, with Migs Palanca tallying 25 points and 10 boards.

Another American squad, Fil-Am Nation Select, also advanced to the next round to keep its title-retention bid alive as it scored a 62-55 win over Momsie’s Kitchenette-San Pablo.

Another quarterfinalist is Arellano University, which routed Batang Europa, 88-59.

Completing the quarterfinalists is i-Achievers Modern College from Nueva Ecija, which clipped Sequoia Hotel-Team New Zealand, 58-50.(CCM)

• Tags
• #2025 Smart-NBTC National Finals
• #Team Khalifa
• #University of Southern Philippines Foundation
• #Visayas Regional Champion
• #Far Eastern University-Diliman