Sea Lions, Dolphins arrange titular showdown

MANILA, Philippines — Olivarez College and Philippine Christian University Dasmariñas made quick work of their semifinal foes to arrange a best-of-three finals showdown in the UCAL-PGFlex Linoleum 7th Season yesterday at the Paco Arena in Manila.

The two squads, which finished first and second at the end of the two-phase elimination round, did not have to use their twice-to-beat armors with the OC Sea Lions surviving the Diliman College Blue Dragons, 63-60 and the PCU-D Dolphins eliminating the ICC Blue Hawks, 79-70.

The victories didn’t come without a scare, however, with Olivarez needing a clutch performance from Hanz Maycong who saved his team from blushes and lifted them to their fifth finals appearance in their seventh season in UCAL.

Maycong finished with 16 points – none bigger than the jumper that put the Sea Lions ahead for good, 61-60, with a little over a minute left as well as the game-sealing free throws with seven seconds left.