CEBU CITY, Philippines — The reigning king of Cebu high school basketball is back—and this time, the target is even bigger.
The Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) Magis Eagles will begin their CESAFI Season 26 high school campaign on September 12 against the University of the Visayas (UV) Baby Green Lancers, opening their bid for a historic sixth consecutive championship. The matchup is listed on the official CESAFI schedule at the University of the Visayas Main Gym.
The Magis Eagles enter the season carrying the weight of a dynasty.
SHS-AdC completed its historic five-peat in 2025, defeating the University of Cebu Junior Webmasters, 79-57, in Game 2 of the championship series. The victory delivered the school’s ninth CESAFI high-school championship overall, with its title run dating back to 2012.
Now, coach Rommel Rasmo’s squad has an opportunity to make even more history.
A sixth straight crown would extend one of the most dominant championship runs in CESAFI high-school basketball and could give the Magis Eagles their 10th overall title. The Freeman previously reported that SHS-AdC’s goal is not merely to defend its throne but potentially become the first high-school team to complete back-to-back Grand Slams.
But UV is hardly an ordinary opening opponent
The UV Baby Green Lancers will provide an immediate test for the defending champions.
The matchup gives the opening day an added layer of intrigue because UV is among the established contenders in the CESAFI juniors division. The league’s 2026 high-school field features 13 teams, including last year’s runner-up University of Cebu, CIT-U, San Carlos School of Cebu, Benedicto College, USPF, USJ-R, Don Bosco and Cebu Eastern College, along with newcomers PAREF Springdale and San Roque College de Cebu.
That means the road to another championship will be anything but automatic for the Magis Eagles.
And the stakes are particularly high because SHS-AdC is coming off a season in which it already established itself as the team to beat.
From five-peat to potential dynasty
The 2025 championship was more than another trophy for SHS-AdC.
In the title-clinching victory over UC, Lian Kent Basa led the Magis Eagles with 18 points and 11 rebounds and was named Finals MVP. Gabriel Gonzales added 17 points, while Jhonrey Recio contributed 15. SHS-AdC also produced a decisive third-quarter surge, turning the game around with a 17-0 run.
The championship was the latest chapter in a program that has repeatedly rebuilt and remained competitive despite changes in personnel.
Now the challenge is different: Can the next generation keep the dynasty alive?
That’s the question that will begin to take shape when the Magis Eagles face UV on September 12.
CESAFI Season 26 is already shaping up as a historic season
SHS-AdC isn’t the only defending champion chasing history.
In the college division, the UV Green Lancers are also attempting to extend their own championship streak to five.
UV has dominated the collegiate competition since CESAFI’s return in 2022, winning four consecutive championships. The Lancers captured their 17th overall CESAFI collegiate title last season and are now targeting a rare five-peat under veteran coach Gary Cortes.
Cortes is also pursuing another milestone. According to The Freeman, the veteran coach has seven CESAFI championship trophies and needs two more to match the record of Elmer “Boy” Cabahug, who guided UV to nine consecutive championships from 2001 to 2009.
The 2026 season therefore carries championship implications on both levels: SHS-AdC is chasing six straight in high school, while UV is chasing five straight in college.
A long road still lies ahead
CESAFI Season 26 will feature a four-month basketball campaign. In the juniors division, teams will play a single round-robin elimination, with the four best teams advancing to the semifinals. The top two semifinalists receive a twice-to-beat advantage, while the championship will be decided through a best-of-three finals.
So while the SHS-AdC-UV matchup could immediately capture attention, it will only be the first chapter of a much longer title chase.
For the Magis Eagles, however, the mission is crystal clear:
Five championships are already history. The sixth could define the dynasty.
And their first obstacle arrives against UV.
The question now is whether SHS-AdC can start another championship run—or whether the Baby Lancers can deliver an early warning that the road to six will be far tougher than expected.
Leave a Reply