Southern Islands finals of PCCL Champions League starts today

CEBU, Philippines - After the historic season-opening match of the PBA, Cebuano hoop fans brace for another exciting hardcourt action as the Southern Islands finals of the PCCL Champions League gets underway today at the Cebu Coliseum.

In the first game at 5:30 pm, STI College of Cagayan de Oro City will go up against Holy Trinity College of General Santos City, while the Iloilo Doctors College will take on the University of San Carlos (USC) Warriors in the main attraction at 7:15 pm.

The winner of the STI-Holy Trinity duel will face next the reigning CESAFI champion University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers tomorrow, while the winner of the IDC-USC clash will slug it out with the Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras.

The champion of the PCCL tilt will join UAAP champion Las Salle Green Archers, NCAA titleholder San Beda Red Lions and the top performer of the Metro Manila qualifying in the PCCL National Finals late this month.

Without doubt, the highlight of the three-day joust is the grudge rematch between the Green Lancers and the Cobras.

Southwestern U went 5-0 against UV including the first two games of their best-of-five finals series, but the Green Lancers completed a highly improbably comeback when it tamed the Cobras for three consecutives to clinch this year's CESAFI title, their 10th overall in Cebu's premiere inter-school league.

Tickets are priced at P50 for the general admission, P100 for the upperbox, P150 for the lowerbox, P200 for stage seats and P250 for the ringside. (FREEMAN)