Dolphins, Knights arrange title clash

Philippine Christian University and Letran College outlasted their respective rivals yesterday to set up an interesting title showdown in the 81st NCAA basketball tournament at the Astrodome.

Rob Sanz keyed a big fourth quarter run for the Dolphins, who smashed the Mapua Cardinals, 76-53, while the Knights held the San Sebastian Stags to just six points in the final period to run away with a 93-60 rout in the other contest.

Those victories thus arranged a championship clash, a best-of-three series, between the league’s fancied squads beginning Sept. 19.

Sanz exploded with 14 of his 24 points in the final period as he outshone Kelvin dela Peña, who sizzled with 25 points in the first three quarters but was held to a scoreless fourth quarter stint.

"It will be an interesting finals," said PCU coach Junel Baculi, who is on his first finals appearance as a coach in the collegiate league after winning six crowns in the PBL.

For Letran mentor Louie Alas, it will be his third finals stint and his first since steering the Knights to the 2003 title romp over the Stags.

"It’s a good feeling to be back in the finals," said Alas, who also won it for the Muralla-based school in 1998.

Meanwhile, the NCAA management committee (MANCOM) upheld the protest filed by San Beda Red Cubs coach Ato Badolato, disqualifying the Letran Squires from the Final Four after their player Lester Alvarez played in an inter-city league while the tournament is ongoing.

Alvarez, a third year high school student who plays point guard for Letran, saw action for Parañaque City twice — Aug. 27 and Sept. 3 — in the Global Destiny Basketball League, which is prohibited during the NCAA season.

Ironically, Badolato, whose SBC team is ranked no. 1 in the juniors’ division semifinals, is a consultant of the Global Destiny tourney.

As a result, the Squires, who finished with an 8-4 card and were ranked third in the Final Four where they suppose to meet the SSC-R Stagletes, were eliminated from the tournament.