Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Achieves Historic Five-Peat in Cesafi Junior Basketball

The Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu Magis Eagles made history by becoming the first high school team to claim a five-peat championship in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi) junior basketball division. They secured their latest title with a commanding 79-57 victory over the University of Cebu Junior Webmasters in Game Two of the best-of-three finals series held on Friday, December 12, 2025, at the Cebu Coliseum.

The Magis Eagles delivered a decisive 17-0 run during the third quarter, restricting the Baby Webmasters to only four points in the same period and establishing a substantial 61-48 lead. This momentum shift proved pivotal, as SHS-AdC maintained control for the remainder of the game to complete their unprecedented five consecutive championships.

Lian Kent Basa led the victorious squad with 18 points and 11 rebounds, earning him the Most Valuable Player award. Supporting contributions came from Gabriel Gonzales with 17 points and eight rebounds, Jhonrey Recio with 15 points, and Jacob Lacson who posted a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds.

This latest triumph marks SHS-AdC’s ninth junior basketball title since their first in 2012. The competition was paused in 2013 due to a controversy involving player eligibility that reached legal proceedings. When Cesafi resumed in 2014, the Magis Eagles resumed their dominance, capturing titles again in 2014, 2015, and 2016.

Reflecting on the 2013 season, head coach Rommel Rasmo acknowledged the competitiveness of that year, noting that other strong teams were also contenders. He emphasized the significance of the current achievement, stating, "I think that year (2013), UV deserved it, CEC deserved it. There were four of us contending, right? Maybe. But what is important is that now it has become a reality."

Despite setbacks in 2017 and a less successful 2018, SHS-AdC reclaimed the championship in 2019 and has successfully defended it through the current season.

Basa was also named to the Mythical Five along with Kenneth Robert Fuller of Cebu Eastern College, RJ Mandaros of Cebu Institute of Technology-University, Ryll da Silva of University of San-Jose Recoletos, and Marty Louisse Sotto of University of Cebu.