Eagles eye Final 4 vs Cards

MANILA, Philippines – Two of the top varsity squads in the land – Ateneo and San Beda College – see action against separate rivals today, their sights set on advancing into the deeper stages of the 2010 Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) at the Arena in San Juan.

Fresh from a 76-66 demolition of Lyceum in the Sweet 16, the defending PCCL champion and three-peat UAAP titlist Blue Eagles eye a trip to the Final Four at 4 p.m. against Mapua.

The Cardinals reached the Elite 8 with their 74-61 verdict over National U.

For their part, the Red Lions debut in the tournament’s Sweet 16 phase against University of the East at 2 p.m., making their first appearance since their historic sweep of the recent NCAA cagefest, 18-0 in the elims, and 2-0 in the finals.

Though the euphoria of their third consecutive romp in the UAAP is still fresh, the Ateneo cagers remain as hungry for glory in the PCCL, according to coach Norman Black.

“We want to win every game,” said Black whose charges took two weeks off following their UAAP conquest last Sept. 30 before competing at the University Games in Dumaguete City last month. They practiced for only eight days for the PCCL.

“But this will not be easy considering the players are not in top shape and all the teams here are good.”

Winner of the Ateneo-Mapua duel will move forward to the semis against University of Cebu, which got through after routing University of San Carlos, 83-67, last week.

Meanwhile, the Red Lions seek to carry over their unblemished streak from the NCAA competitions as they shoot for a quarterfinal slot against the UE Warriors.

The Mendiola-based dribblers, however, can’t afford to take UE for granted as the Warriors carved a reputation as a giant-killer in the last UAAP wars, upsetting semifinalists Ateneo, Adamson and La Salle before bowing out of the league’s playoffs.