For the first time in the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) history, two Cebu teams have made it to the Final Four after the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors and the University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers forged a battle for third place in the annual inter-collegiate tournament.
The Warriors, the Cesafi runners-up, were still in the running for a spot in the finals until the San Beda Red Lions dashed that with an emphatic 87-68 victory over the Arellano University Chiefs in the last day of the Elite Eight stage yesterday at the Ynares Sports Arena.
Though both the Red Lions and the Warriors hold identical 3-1 (win-loss) records, San Beda got the nod to go through to the finals opposite defending champions La Salle by virtue of the winner-over-the-other rule. The Red Lions beat the Warriors, 85-75, in their Elite Eight encounter a little over a week ago here in Cebu.
The Green Lancers, on the other hand, got some much needed help from the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws to book their place in the Final Four after the latter beat the National University (NU) Bulldogs, 60-58.
FEU’s victory created a three-way logjam between them, USC and NU but the Warriors pulled through because of their superior quotient.
USC and UV battle for third place in a one-game knockout tomorrow at the same venue before Game 1 of the best-of-three series starts, wherein the Red Lions will be looking for revenge for their championship loss to the Archers in the preseason.