PCCL Final Four: A day of upsets as La Salle, San Beda bow to SWU, FEU
Two days after UAAP champions De La Salle Green Archers and NCAA titlists San Beda Red Lions battled to a 74-all draw in a benefit game that collected over 1.8 M pesos in donations for the victims of super typhoon “Yolanda,” both fancied squads succumbed to their less heralded but hungrier opponents in Day 1 of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League’s single-round semis at the Blue Eagle gym on Monday.
Perennial Cebu champions South Western University Cobras scored a morale boosting 68-58-overtime win over La Salle with their hot shooting in the extra period. Melvin Holper uncorked back-to-back treys followed by another triple from Monbert Arong to pull away from a neck-and-neck contest in overtime.
But it was also the Cobras’ defense that paved the way for the win, limiting the Green Archers to just six points in the extension period. SWU’s Cameroonian import Landry Sanjo kept La Salle’s post players at bay with his tough defensive stance inside the paint.
The Green Archers led most of the regulation period but the Cobras slowly caught up on them in the last three minutes. La Salle missed the services of ace center Arnold Van Opstal due to a reported hip injury.
Former Green Archer Mark Tallo also orchestrated SWU’s offense very well especially in overtime. His swift penetrations drew the defense and allowed Holper and Arong to get open looks at the basket, which they converted into three-point bombs.
Arong paced SWU with 17 points, while Tallo and Adams Mohammed added 13 and 12 markers respectively. Sanjo finished with 13 boards, 11 points, four blocks and three steals in an impressive all-around game.
Sophomore playmaker Thomas Torres led La Salle with 12 points, followed by Jason Perkins with 10. The Archers’ main offensive weapons of Jeron Teng and Almond Vosotros only produced a total of 13 points.
DLSU also had an atrocious 23 turnovers in the game that the Cobras converted into 19 points.
In the second game, the Red Lions had an explosive 11-3 start only to falter in the third period en route to a 56-62 setback to the hot-streaking Far Eastern University Tamaraws. FEU has not lost so far in the tournament, gaining a slot in the Final Four with huge wins over National University and University of Santo Tomas.
Despite losing top gunners Terrence Romeo and RR Garcia to the pros, the Tams found a new scoring leader in Mike Tolomia, who displayed his offensive skills against San Beda with a game-high 23 markers. The cat-quick guard from Zamboanga City eluded all his defenders and scorched the basket with dazzling penetrations.
FEU also got enough support from Carl Cruz, who amassed 11 points, and Achie Inigo and Anthony Hargrove, who each chipped in eight markers.
The Tams rode on a commanding 22-10 third quarter performance to seize control of the game.
But it was the Red Lions' poor shooting that caused their downfall in the game. Obviously unfamiliar with the Blue Eagle gym, they shot just 21 of 67 from the field, or a mediocre 31.3%, even when most of these attempts were wide open.
NCAA Finals MVP Arth Dela Cruz topscored for San Beda with 13 points, while rookie guard Dan Sara added 12. Graduating skipper Rome Dela Rosa contributed 10 markers, while Nigerian behemoth Ola Adeogun was good for 12 rebounds and nine points.
The Tams were impressive with their up-tempo game, gaining 12 fast break points in the process. They also outrebounded the Red Lions, 45-41.
San Beda was ahead at halftime, 30-24, but lost steam in the third canto.
The Tams also missed the services of power forward Mark Belo and head coach Nash Racela, who are both with the National men’s team in the on-going South East Asian Games in Myanmar.
The defeat of both San Beda and La Salle doused cold water on the high hopes of many to see the two champion squads contest the PCCL title after last Saturday’s benefit game that left the score unsettled following a draw.
The Red Lions challenge the Cobras at 2pm on Tuesday followed by the Green Archers-Tamaraws' 4pm duel at the San Juan Arena.
But even if both La Salle and San Beda prevail in Day 2, they are set to face off on Thursday in a likely sudden death match for a ticket to the PCCL Finals.
