La Salle vs San Beda, Feu vs SWU PCCL: Champs live, champs perish

Games today (The Arena, San Juan)

2 p.m. – SWU vs FEU

4 p.m. – La Salle vs San Beda

MANILA, Philippines - La Salle and San Beda slug it out today in a duel of collegiate champions while undermanned Far Eastern U and Visayan champion Southwestern U dispute the other finals berth in the 12th Philippine Collegiate Champions League at The Arena in San Juan City.

A pair of sudden death matches for the title series ensued after the Archers and the Red Lions rebounded from their shock  setbacks to the Cobras and the Tams, respectively.

The Tams and the Cobras battle it out first at 2 p.m. while the Archers and the Lions face off at 4 p.m. with the winners advancing to the best-of-three finals starting Monday.

La Salle and San Beda actually tangle for the second time in four days after they battled to a 74-all draw in a benefit game dubbed “Champions for a Cause” at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum last Sunday.

“I expect it to be another tough game,” said La Salle coach Juno Sauler, whose wards will shoot for the school’s second PCCL title after reigning supreme five years ago.

“As always, La Salle isn’t a champion team for nothing so we just have to be prepared,” said San Beda mentor Boyet Fernandez, who will be trying to deliver the first PCCL diadem to the Mendiola-based school.

Although FEU appears to be the underdog with a depleted roster following the departure of ace guards Terrence Romeo and RR Garcia to the pros and Marc Belo’s stint with the national team in the SEA Games, the Tams, back-to-back winners from 2004-05, remain upbeat of their chances against the Cobras.

A third crown will tie FEU with Ateneo as the teams with the most championship in the league. The Eagles won in 2007, 2009 and 2010.

But SWU, which stunned La Salle, 68-58, in overtime last Monday, is out to make the most of its stint as it tries to become the first provincial team to win in a league dominated by the Big City squads.

“We will give it all to win and make Cebu proud,” said SWU coach Yayoy Alcoseba. “It’s a challenge for the team to win.”

The Cobras lost the CESAFI title this year but topped the Southern Region event to make it to the round-robin semis.