Luzon-MM Sweet 16 under way

AFTER surviving the grueling qualifiers, four teams try to stay alive at the start of the Sweet 16 battle in the Luzon-Metro Manila division of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) today.

University of the East and Centro Escolar University, the two squads that ruled the Metro Manila eliminations, clash at 4 p.m. at Faith Gym in Tanauan City.

Lyceum of Subic Bay, winner in the North-Central Luzon leg, tangles with South Luzon-Bicol champion University of Batangas in the first game at 2 p.m.

The winners will collide tomorrow in the tournament’s stepladder phase where six other teams are also vying for the last Final Four slot.

UAAP champion La Salle and four-time NCAA titlist San Beda have earlier earned outright semifinal slots, while Southwestern University clinched the third berth last week after topping the Visayas-Mindanao Sweet 16.

All games will be aired live by ABS-CBN Sports on Studio 23.

The Warriors and the Scorpions earned the last two Sweet 16 seats after winning their last  qualifying games last Friday.

Although heavily favored, the Warriors had to rely on the clutch performance of star guard Roi Sumang to nip Lyceum, 77-74.

The Scorpions, the National Athletics Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (Naascu) champions, had an easier time in disposing of St. Francis, 78-64. Jasmine W. Payo