Cebu's triumph over Marikina leads to Desiderio's outburst
Cebu Greats Secure Second Consecutive Win in MPBL
The Cebu Greats have claimed a hard-fought victory over the Marikina Shoemasters, with a final score of 104-86. Paul Desiderio led the charge for Cebu, scoring an impressive 28 points.
Despite the win, the Cebu Greats remain in 13th place in the South Division standings, with a record of 7-15. They trail the Imus Braderhood, Sarangani Marlins, and Davao Tigers, all of whom are ahead in the standings.
The South Division standings, as of August 12, 2025, are as follows:
| Position | Team | Played | Wins | Losses | Games Behind (GB) | |----------|------------------------------------|--------|------|--------|-------------------| | 1 | Quezon Huskers (qualified playoff) | 21 | 17 | 4 | — | | 2 | Zamboanga Sikat | 23 | 16 | 7 | 2 | | 3 | Rizal Golden Coolers | 21 | 14 | 7 | 3 | | 4 | Batangas City Tanduay Rum Masters | 22 | 14 | 8 | 3.5 | | 5 | GenSan Warriors | 22 | 13 | 9 | (not fully shown) | | 6 | Cebu Greats | 23 | 7 | 15 | 8.5 | | 7 | Imus Braderhood | 22 | 9 | 13 | | | 8 | Sarangani Marlins | 22 | 8 | 13 | | | 9 | Davao Tigers | 22 | 8 | 12 | |
For Marikina, Timajo scored 22 points, Ubaldo scored 13 points, Escoto scored 13 points, and Penano scored 7 points. Casajeros, Saavedra, Enrile, Zabale, Dino, Steven Cudal, and Mabigat also scored for Marikina.
Meanwhile, Baetiong, Adlawan, Hontiveros, Ugsang, Holmqvist, Meneses, Tampus, and Tallo scored for the Cebu Greats. Apart from Desiderio, Manzo scored 17 points, Jamon scored 13 points, and Martel scored 9 points. Desiderio made four three-pointers in the game.
In a post-game interview, Desiderio expressed his satisfaction with the win, stating that he executed the game plan and returned the trust given by Coach Junthy Valenzuela. The Cebu Greats will face Pasig City on Tuesday at the Nueva Ecija Coliseum, with their playoff hopes hanging by a thread. They need to win six of their remaining seven games to stay in contention for the next round.
In their upcoming match against Pasig City at the Nueva Ecija Coliseum on Tuesday, the Cebu Greats aim to stretch their winning streak beyond one game, considering their crucial playoff hopes hinge on securing six more victories from their remaining seven games. Meanwhile, the Davao Tigers, who are currently ahead in the South Division standings, might have been playing basketball in their own city.
