Team Khalifa proved to be the superior Cebuano squad, maintaining its dominance in the 2025 Smart-NBTC Mindanao Regional Championship with a commanding 75-54 victory over the University of San Jose-Recoletos Jaguar Cubs on Sunday at Bacolod Tay Tung High School in Negros Occidental.
The defending champions left little room for doubt, opening the game with a scorching 25-6 first-quarter assault and never looking back. They extended their lead to as much as 32 points, leaving USJ-R with no chance of a comeback.
Team Khalifa was in full control, allowing Mythical Team member Johncel Borjal to take a step back in the scoring department. He finished with nine points and six rebounds in 20 minutes of play, as his team capped off a flawless 7-0 campaign.
Lloyd Amadeo Gutang contributed across the board with 10 points, six rebounds, four steals, and two assists, while Jerome Arboiz and Jay Ver Palco each added 10 points in the dominant win under head coach Julius Cadavis, a former Arellano big man and NBTC alumnus.
Despite the loss, USJ-R’s Kyle Matthew Barrieta put up a valiant effort, recording a double-double with 12 points, 12 rebounds, and two assists.
With their finals appearance, both Team Khalifa and USJ-R secured spots in the 2025 Smart-NBTC National Finals presented by SM Supermalls and Playtime Cares as the Visayas representatives.
Meanwhile, John Loyd Martinez stole the spotlight by winning the Regional Most Outstanding Player award after leading El Tzino/Davies through the Regional Wildcard phase and into the Nationals.
The standout from San Enrique, Negros Occidental made history as the first player to claim the top individual honor without being part of a championship team. His stellar performance, which included 18 points, eight rebounds, six steals, and five assists, powered his squad to a 69-57 win over Bleachers Roadstar Transit of South Negros, securing their ticket to the National Finals.
University of Southern Philippines Foundation also punched its ticket to the Nationals, defeating City of Talisay-Notre Dame 70-60 in another Regional Wildcard match.
Fritz John Gonzales led the Baby Panthers with 20 points, shooting 2-of-5 from beyond the arc, earning him a spot in the Mythical Team. Raymund Sean Chavez and John Howard Ta-ala added 10 points each.
On the other side, Burj Gabriel Lapu-os carried the fight for Talisay with 19 points and eight rebounds.
Jay Vincent Salazar and Khent Vincent Arriesgado each scored 12 points, but it wasn’t enough to compensate for a quiet night from Mythical Team member Gino dela Puerta, who finished with just four points while grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out five assists in the loss.
With only four remaining slots for the 16-team National Finals sponsored by Adidas, Molten, Swish, and JProject, the final qualifiers will be determined in the South Luzon Regional Championship, set to take place from March 16 to 19 in General Trias and Imus, Cavite.
