McDONALD’S NCRAA CAGING: St. Francis, PUP advance

Three-time champion St. Francis of Assisi and Polytechnic University of the Philippines whipped their respective rivals to formalize their entry into the next round of the eighth McDonald’s-National Capital Region Athletic Association (NCRAA) basketball tournament at the Rizal Coliseum.

The Doves, who last won the title in 1998, came out with their guns ablaze as they crushed National College of Business and Arts, 96-69, while the Maroons posted a 20-point first period lead and cruised to a 119-77 rout over Feati University.

The Doves earned their sixth straight win to take the Group B lead, while PUP notched its third straight win in seven games for a 6-1 card in the elimination of this 19-school meet sponsored by McDonald’s and Iruma balls.

More importantly, the two teams assured themselves of a place in the eight-team semifinals along with Olivarez College (5-1).

Feati dropped at 3-3 and needs to win its last two games against PATTS and St. Francis to take the last semis berth.

Just a notch higher than Feati is Emilio Aguinaldo College (4-3).

"This is just part of the test. We have still a long way to go. Sa semis, tiyak doon na ang bakbakan," said St. Francis coach Gabby Velasco.

Six-foot-seven Yancy de Ocampo scored 15 points and grabbed 14 rebounds, while 6-foot-7 forward Ervin Sotto had 12 and 10 rebounds in another show of force by the Doves’ two big men.

Four other Doves finished in double figures with Jeff Delfin topscoring for 18 points.

Two-time women’s champion Faith Academy, meanwhile, demolished La Salle-Dasmariñas, 63-24, to close out its elimination campaign with a 4-1 card.

The Lady Vanguards, dehtroned by La Salle’s Lady Archers last year, joined Group B leader Lyceum of the Philippines (5-0), PMI (2-3 and St. Benedict (2-2) in the next round.

La Salle leads the Group A semifinalists, which included Rizal Technological Institute (4-1), and PUP. Colegio de San Lorenzo and Emilio Aguinaldo College will dispute the last semis spot on Tuesday. Both have identical 1-3 cards.