USC outlasts UV to book Final Four spot in PCCL

CEBU, Philippines – The University of San Carlos Warriors upended the University of the Visayas Green Lancers, 78-74, at the end of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) Elite Eight Series last night at the Cebu Coliseum.

For topping the five-day joust with a 3-1 win-loss record, the USC Warriors earned a slot to the PCCL Final Four set next week in Manila.

The Warriors built a 12-point lead in two occasions, but the Lancers, riding on the crest of their upset wins against reigning UAAP champion National University Bulldogs and NCAA runner-up Arellano University Chiefs, kept on coming back.

The Lancers went on to to tie the count at 73-all on Alfred Codilla's basket with only 1:35 left to play.

The Warriors, however, quickly regained their composure to take a 76-73 edge on Shooster Olago's free throws. Olago's defense and intimidating inside presence proved to be the key as the Lancers missed their final two attempts.

Ian Tagapan later sank his twin gift shots to seal USC's win. Olago topscored for the Warriors with 16 points, while Victor Rabat and Espoir Toyambi chipped in 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Steve Cedrick Akomo, who delighted the crowd with a pair of thunderous dunks, led the Lancers with 22 points. Francisco Arong pumped in 15 points including back-to-back triples to start the fourth period.

Meanwhile, the Bulldogs rallied from 20 points down in the first period, 12-32, to crush the Southwestern University Cobras, who slumped to their third consecutive defeat.

After pulling within five points at halftime, 31-36, the resilient Bulldogs staged a scoring rampage in the third canto to forge a 56-all deadlock on a basket by Mohammad Al-Yusouf Salim to end the period.

The Cobras took back a slim lead, 58-57, but NU's ace pointguard Gelo Alolino suddenly turned red-hot, hitting three 3-pointers in a row to give the Bulldogs the lead for good, 66-58.

NU's lead even swelled to 14 points, 80-66, on a triple by UAAP's Most Improved Player Jeth Troy Rosario.

Skipper Glenn Khobuntin led the Bulldogs with 17 points even as Aloino and Rosario had 13 points each. Tristan Perez and Alfred Aroga banged in 22 points combined to underscore NU's balanced attack.

The scores

USC (78) - Olago 16, Rabat 12, Toyambi 10, Pepito 9, Magat 9, Igna 8, Tagapan 5, Lim 4, Malana 3, Adlawan 2

UV (74) - Akomo 22, Arong 15, Abad 10, Manzo 9, Octobre 7, Codilla 6, Perolino 2, Aguirre 2, Soliva 1 (FREEMAN)