Ateneo, UV, SBU, UP vie for national crown

MANILA, Philippines — And then, there are four.

Four of the country’s finest basketball programs take center stage today, chasing national supremacy in the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL).

It’s Ateneo versus University of Visayas then San Beda opposite Univeristy of the Philippines  in the knockout semifinals at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

The UV Green Lancers caught the last Final Four bus the other day, frustrating CESAFI titlist Southwestern University, 76-67, in the Visayas-Mindanao championship dubbed as the Escandor Cup at the Lamberto Macias Sports and Cultural Center in Dumaguete.

It was a sweet revenge for the UV Green Lancers after falling short against the SWU Cobras in the CESAFI championship last year.

UV thus marched on to the national semis, setting up a gigantic clash against UAAP champion Ateneo at 2 p.m. The other Final Four pairing features UP and NCAA runner-up San Beda at 4 p.m.

The two survivors advance to the  national finals set tomorrow at the same venue.

Ateneo, the three-time UAAP champion, barged into the PCCL Final Four as early as last month after ruling the NCR championships called the UAAP-NCAA Challenge.

NCAA runner-up Red Lions were the next to qualify then the Maroons from their Luzon championship conquest.