Manila top teams face off vs South’s best in Elite 8

MANILA, Philippines - Defending champion La Salle and reigning UAAP and NCAA titlists National University and San Beda set out for Cebu as they take on the best of the region in the Elite Eight of the 2014 National Collegiate Championship which unfolds tomorrow at the Cebu City Coliseum.

La Salle, which topped last year’s edition of this annual event organized by the Phl Collegiate Champions League, clashes with recently crowned CESAFI champion Southwestern University at 5:15 p.m. followed by the 7 p.m. showdown between UAAP runner-up Far Eastern University and University of San Carlos.

“Cebu college teams have a different style of play so we have to be ready to any scenario,” said La Salle coach Juno Sauler, back from a long US vacation, in yesterday’s press launch at the ABS-CBN’s ELJ Bldg. in Quezon City.

The La Salle-SWU duel will be a rematch between last year’s finalists with the Archers sweeping the Cobras, who also beat the former in their previous meeting in the group stages.

Ben Mbala, La Salle’s incoming Cameroonian rookie who has completed his two-year residency, will be facing the team he played for before relocating to Manila. Mbala powered La Salle to the Metro Manila eliminations en route to the Elite Eight.

“He’s been doing well, fitting with the team and he has nice attitude also,” said Sauler of the 18-year-old Cameroonian.

Sauler also said they will go to Cebu with Jason Perkins, Arnold Van Opstal and Julius Sargent, who are on leave, and Almond Vosotros, Norbert Torres and Yutien Andrada, who are playing in the D-League.

San Beda, which swept Arellano last month to clinch a historic fifth straight NCAA title, in contrast, boasts of an intact lineup but without coach Boyet Fernandez, who is now coaching NLEX in the PBA. Jamike Jarin is the team’s new mentor although Adonis Tierra will handle the team in the PCCL, said San Beda team manager Jude Roque.

Organizing PCCL chairman Rey Gamboa said the Elite Eight will be a first in the league’s 12 years of existence.

“This is historic for collegiate basketball in Cebu because the best of Metro Manila will play the best in the South,” said Gamboa. 

Other elite eight teams are Arellano, FEU and University of Visayas.