Bulldogs, Warriors firm up PCCL bids

MANILA, Philippines - UAAP and NCAA Final Four dropouts firmed up their respective bids for the Sweet 16 national championship as they overwhelmed their respective rivals in the 2010 Philippine Collegiate Champions League Luzon-Metro Manila Zonals Thursday at the Arellano gym in Legarda.

National University and University of the East, teams which ended the 73rd UAAP season fifth and sixth place, respectively, thrashed regional squads University of Perpetual Help System-Laguna and San Beda College-Alabang to pull themselves to within a win from making it to the Round of 16.

Letran and home-team Arellano University, NU and UE’s NCAA counterparts, likewise positioned themselves from making it to the knockout phase as they scored convincing victories against University of Baguio and Computer Communications Development Institute.

The Bulldogs couldn’t pull away early from San Beda, which is coming off an embarrassing 49-point beating from the Sta. Monica Cougars in last Wednesday, as they led at 49-42, with under three minutes left in the third period. But a 20-7 Bulldogs run, sparked by a Joseph Terso triple, bridging the final two quarters gave them leads of as many as 20 en route to a 75-57 rout.

The Warriors, on the other hand, cruised to an easy 80-44 victory over the Saints, behind James Martinez and Ken Acibar, who tallied 16 and 13 points, respectively.

The Knights, for their part, never looked back from a big 23-2 first quarter score as they walloped the Cardinals 76-49, while Andrian Celada’s 20 points led the Chiefs’ 94-80 rout of the Wildcats.