INQUIRER Sports

BACOLOD CITY? Favorites West Negros University and John B. Lacson Maritime Foundation of Iloilo coasted to lopsided victories Tuesday night at the start of the Visayas regional finals of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) at the WNU Gym.

The Mustangs proved too strong for Tacloban champion Leyte Colleges, hammering out an emphatic 101-53 victory, after the Dolphins overwhelmed Dumaguete titlist Silliman University, 71-43.

Taking advantage of their height and heft, the Mustangs, who claimed an 11th straight Negros Occidental Private Schools Sports Cultural and Educational Association (NOPSSCEA) crown recently, broke away in the second period with center Virgilio Dapar and forward Jetric Sumido combining for 29 points.

Point guards Alfie Villariza and Jeff Jacinto contributed 14 points apiece for the Mustangs, who ruled the Bacolod-Iloilo elimination round last year.

Edwin Peremne and Ken Ferrariz led the Dolphins? balanced charge with 14 points each.

Western Leyte Colleges eliminated Silliman yesterday with a 75-51 crushing, while Bohol Institute of Technology also booted out Leyte Colleges, 90-80.

JBLMF and WLC were to play for the top spot in group 1 yesterday before the WNU-BIT tiff that will decide the No. 1 team from group 2.

The Mustangs bagged the NOPSSCEA championship with a 96-81 triumph over the Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod Eagles last Monday at the latter?s gym.

The winner of the Visayas championship will advance to the zonal phase in Cebu, where Naascu champion San Sebastian Cavite, Adamson (UAAP fifth placer), Arellano University (NCAA fifth placer) and newly crowned Mindanao champion Holy Trinity College are also competing.

The second to fourth placers in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) complete the eight-team roster in this leg, where the top four will make the Sweet 16 of the national championship backed by Smart and PLDT.

Already assured of spots in the Sweet 16 are UAAP champion Ateneo, UAAP losing finalist University of the East and semifinalists Far Eastern U and University of Santo Tomas.

Also clinching outright berths are NCAA Final Four squads San Sebastian, San Beda, Jose Rizal and Letran.

De La Salle University beat archrival Ateneo in last year?s finals of the annual nationwide tournament.