GAMES THURSDAY (Makati Coliseum)
10 a.m.—UE vs. St. Clare
12 nn.—UNC vs. Lyceum
2 p.m.—Arellano vs. UST

MANILA, Philippines—Mapua Institute of Technology became the first team from the zonal phase to clinch a berth in the Sweet 16 of the Philippine Collegiate Championship following a 77-59 drubbing of University of Luzon Wednesday at the Makati Coliseum.

The Cardinals overcame a tense start on the way to ruling Group A and forging a duel with the Manuel L. Quezon University Stallions in the tournament proper starting late this month.

Mapua was held to a single field goal in the first five minutes, missing eight of its first nine shots to allow the Region 2 champion from Pangasinan to seize a 12-8 cushion in the first quarter.

But the Cardinals applied the full-court press even as TG Guillermo and Ian Mazo found their range to give the Cardinals a commanding 39-24 lead three minutes before halftime.

Marvin Macalalad’s triple sliced the cushion, 40-47, early in the third period but Jonathan Banal nailed two shots from beyond the arc, Ian Mazo added another trey and center Mark Sarangay made an undergoal stab to stretch the lead, 59-40.

“Mapua’s game is picking up,” warned Cardinals coach Leo Isaac, who could have a second team in the Sweet 16 if the other squad he handles, Arellano University, upsets University of Santo Tomas in the last Group B game on Thursday.

The UST Tigers strengthened their bid for a place in the Sweet 16 with a 102-52 rout of St. Louis University, which bombed out of contention.

Jackson Wong, Mark Canlas, Jeric Fortuna and Chris Camus posted 11 points apiece, while Emil Vargas contributed 10 markers and seven assists to power the Tigers, who pulled away to a 55-27 lead in the second quarter.

“It’s good that my PBL [Philippine Basketball League] players are in shape because we haven’t been able to practice together,” said UST coach Pido Jarencio.