La Salle ousts CEU for last PCCL berth

MANILA, Philippines - Defending champion La Salle overpowered NAASCU titlist Centro Escolar University with its star-studded crew and cruised to a 79-56 victory yesterday to secure the last Elite Eight berth in the Philippine Collegiate Champions League at the First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities gym in Tanauan City, Batangas.

Jeron Teng dazzled in front of screaming fans to finish with 14 points, while point guard Thomas Torres added 13 markers as the Green Archers toppled the CEU cagers and entered the Elite Eight as the winner of the Luzon-Metro Manila stepladder phase.

La Salle led by as many as 31 points in the second half on its way to joining the best teams from the UAAP, NCAA and the Cebu Schools Athletic Federation Inc. (CESAFI) in the Elite Eight which starts Thursday in Cebu City.

Joining La Salle are the UAAP champion National University, NCAA titlist San Beda, CESAFI winner Southwestern University, Far Eastern University, Arellano University, University of San Carlos and University of the Visayas.

La Salle will fly to the Queen City of the South to open its campaign against Southwestern in a rematch of last year’s finals at the Cebu City Coliseum. FEU and USC clash in the other contest.

The eight squads have been split into two groups with the top teams after the single-round eliminations meeting in a best-of-three title series.

In reaching the Elite Eight, La Salle beat Jose Rizal University, 67-62, last Sunday behind Cameroonian import Ben Mbala, who was one of three players inserted in the PCCL lineup due to the absence of Arnold Van Opstal, Jason Perkins and Norbert Torres.

CEU fell short in its bid to make the Elite Eight for the first time after a 67-62 upset of University of Perpetual Help followed by a 68-54 drubbing of NAASCU rival St. Clare.