11 teams to dispute last 3 Elite Eight slots

MANILA, Philippines - Five teams, led by UAAP champion Far Eastern U, NCAA titlist Letran, CESAFI-Cebu winner University of San Carlos, UAAP runner-up UST and NCAA second placer San Beda College, gained automatic berths in Elite Eight stage of the 2015 National Collegiate Championship.

Eleven teams from Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao are competing in Qualifying Games for three remaining seats with one to come from the Visayas-Mindanao Qualifying and two from the Luzon-Metro Manila Qualifying games.

The Visayas-Mindanao Qualifying Games are ongoing in Ormoc City with the University of Visayas Green Lancers, CESAFI runner-up, University of San Jose-Recoletos Jaguars, CESAFI third placer, Holy Trinity College Wildcats, Mindanao champion and the winner of the Visayas Islands regional games vying for the lone berth.

The Luzon-Metro Manila Qualifying Games, meanwhile, starts tomorrow till Monday at the TIP gym in Manila and at FAITH Gym in Tanauan, Batangas with the Mapua Cardinals and Jose Rizal U Heavy Bombers from the NCAA, the National U Bulldogs from the UAAP, St. Claire College from NAASCU, Technological Institute of the Phils., PATTS, Olivarez College, South Luzon-Bicol champion and Lyceum Northwestern University Dukes, the Northern-Central Luzon champion, disputing the two slots in the Elite Eight.

The LNU Dukes bested La Union representative La Finns Scholastic Lion Hearts, 88-78, in the finals in Dagupan City to stay in the hunt.

Other collegiate champions who vied in the Northern-Central Luzon elims were Bulacan State U, Cordillera Colleges, University of Vigan and University of Pangasinan.

Coach Joe Lipa, PCCL executive director, said that the Luzon-Metro Manila games will be covered live by ABS-CBN Sports and Action channel and televised nationwide.

The National Collegiate Championship (NCC) is an annual multi-level nationwide competition to determine the one and only national collegiate champion for the year. The tournament is organized and managed by Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) that brings together collegiate champions all over the country to compete for possession of the M. V. Pangilinan Perpetual Trophy Sculpture, “Abutin Ang Tagumpay”, symbol of collegiate basketball supremacy. San Beda College Red Lions is the current holder of the sculpture after winning last year’s championship.