Team Khalifa emerged as the better Cebuano team after dominating University of San Jose-Recoletos Jaguar Cubs with a wire-to-wire 75-54 win to stay at the peak of the 2025 Smart-NBTC Mindanao Regional Championship last Sunday at the Bacolod Tay Tung High School in Negros Occidental.

The defending champions left little to doubt, kicking off the match with a blazing 25-6 first-quarter assault en route to a cold-blooded 21-point massacre.

So in control was Team Khalifa that Mythical Team member Johncel Borjal willingly took the backseat and only registered nine points and six rebounds in 20 minutes of play in the finale, which capped off the team’s perfect 7-0 campaign.

Lloyd Amadeo Gutang collected 10 points, six boards, four steals, and two assists, Jerome Arboiz also chipped in 10 points and four rebounds, and Jay Ver Palco got 10 points and two boards in the commanding conquest for the boys of former Arellano University big man and NBTC alumnus Julius Cadavis.

Mythical Team member Kyle Matthew Barrieta kept the fire burning for USJ-R in the losing effort as he topped his side with 12 points, 12 rebounds and two assists.

Aside from the crown, the finalists have also secured their slots in the 2025 Smart-NBTC National Finals as the Visayas representatives.

John Loyd Martinez also made heads turn as he snared the Regional Most Outstanding Player honors after powering El Tzino/Davies in the Regional Wildcard phase and into the National Finals.

The stud from San Enrique town in Negros Occidental became the first player to win the top individual award who didn’t come from the champion team, especially with how he helped his side take the 69-57 victory over Bleachers Roadstar Transit of South Negros.