From Ozamiz to the Cebu Coliseum
OZAMIZ CITY - The clock was nearly gone when Axyl James Casas received the ball and took his chance from near midcourt, with CIT-U trailing UP Cebu 70–68. His shot found the basket with only fractions of a second remaining, giving the Wildcats a 71–70 victory after they had been behind by 26 points at halftime. SunStar reported that the comeback became the biggest in CESAFI history, while Casas finished the game with 10 points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block. For an Ozamiz-connected rookie playing on a major collegiate stage, the sequence provided a memorable introduction to his CESAFI campaign.
One Shot, Plenty of Teamwork
Casas' basket may have supplied the final spark, but the comeback belonged to the entire CIT-U lineup. John Eimrod Rodulfa led the Wildcats with 15 points, while Braebon Ali Thompson contributed 14 points and 11 rebounds, and Jerian Marc Abello added 11 points as CIT-U gradually erased UP Cebu's enormous first-half advantage. The official CESAFI roster lists Casas as a guard for the 2026 CIT-U Wildcats, placing him among the players representing the university in the collegiate tournament. The result also gave CIT-U a 2–0 start after its opening victory over the University of San Jose-Recoletos.
A Young Player to Watch
For Ozamiz residents, the story offers a fresh sports angle: local talent making an impression beyond the city and into a competitive collegiate league. The September 8 game showed how quickly one sequence can change the direction of a contest, with Casas and his teammates continuing to play despite the enormous deficit they faced earlier in the night. His game-winning shot does not by itself predict what comes next in the season, but it has already become a notable moment in his rookie campaign. As CESAFI Season 26 continues, basketball fans in Ozamiz have another hometown-connected player to keep an eye on.
