4 matches kick off Champs League Manila qualifier

Two teams each from the UAAP and the NCAA loom as favorites in the Metro Manila qualifying leg of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League which gets going today at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

Adamson, led by Jericho Cruz, Eric Camson and Rodney Brondial, kicks off the four-game bill against Interscholastic Athletic Association (Isaa) champion Philippine Merchant Marine School at 10 a.m.

The high noon duel features Mapua against Men’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (MNCAA) titlist Centro Escolar University.

Jose Rizal University, which fell just a rung short of the NCAA Final Four, tackles Universities and Colleges of Luzon Athletic Association (Uclaa) winner St. Francis at 2 p.m.

University of the East, the recent Unigames revelation under new coach Boycie Zamar, takes on another champion in St. Clare of the National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (Naascu) at 4 p.m.

The top two teams in the three-day qualifier will advance to the Sweet 16 round of the tournament that gathers the top varsity teams nationwide.

Five-consecutive UAAP champion Ateneo and “three-peat” NCAA winner San Beda have already earned outright Final Four berths as incentive for ruling the country’s top two collegiate leagues.

UAAP runner-up University of Santo Tomas and NCAA finalist Letran also earned automatic Sweet 16 slots along with UAAP Final Four teams National University and La Salle, and NCAA semifinalists San Sebastian and Perpetual Help.