St. Francis seeks 4-peat in UCLAA

MANILA, Philippines - Three-peat champion St. Francis of Assisi College faces its toughest challenge yet in its reign when it guns for a fourth straight Universities and Colleges of Luzon Athletic Association (UCLAA) basketball title against unbeaten Technological Institute of the Philippines today at the San Andres gym.

Game One of the best-of-three championship presented by Mang Inasal Bicutan/Muntinlupa/Tagaytay and Villa de Oro Tagaytay/Boracay is at 10:30 a.m. with Game Two on Wednesday. A winner-take-all third game will be played Friday, if necessary.

“This is a battle for supremacy like no other in the young history of the league,” said UCLAA president Art Onas, who oversees the tournament along with vice president Ma. Angeles Prats and treasurer Jun Quinio.

The TIP Engineers of coach Franco Ilagan cut an imposing figure early in the two-round elimination, sweeping all 10 games, two against the St. Francis Doves of coach Gabby Velasco.

Leading the Engineers are Jemuel Namocatcat, Kim Medina and Sean Pao, while the Doves will rely on the trio of reigning MVP Jason Melano, Denver Rote and Joseph Paday.

The Engineers first racked up five straight wins. De Ocampo Memorial College came in second at 4-1 with a shot at the other finals slot while St. Francis was at third (3-2).

Diliman Computer Technology Institute was at fourth (2-3); National College of Business and Arts fifth (1-2); and Pamantasan ng Lunsod ng Muntinlupa sixth (0-5).

From Jan. 13-23, TIP picked up four more victories, St. Francis went 3-1, falling only to TIP, and De Ocampo, 2-2, beaten by St. Francis and DCTI, the second loss a decisive one.

Last Wednesday, TIP (10-0) shut the door on De Ocampo’s (6-4) chances, 87-86; St. Francis (7-3) clinched the other finals berth by routing DCTI (4-6), 64-44; and PLMun (1-9) picked up its first win courtesy of NCBA (1-9), 58-53.