Stags, Lancers turn back rivals, boost PCCL semifinal bids

WITH clutch help from their big men, San Sebastian College and University of the Visayas downed separate rivals yesterday to keep their respective semifinal bids alive in the Philippine Collegiate Champions League at Cebu Coliseum.

Reigning NCAA MVP Ian Sangalang unloaded 29 points to power SSC to a 75-68 win over National University while UV swept past hard-fighting Holy Trinity College, 91-74, as both advance within a win of clinching a Final Four slot in the national finals.

The Stags will face the winner of the La Salle-Adamson encounter today in a showdown for the lone qualifying slot in the Metro Manila eliminations while the Green Lancers will collide with the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. champion Southwestern University Cobras also today for the Southern Islands title and another berth in the nationals.

Seeded earlier to the nationals are UAAP champion Ateneo and NCAA winner San Beda.

Sangalang, firing at will from close range, dominated his anticipated duel with UAAP MVP Ray Parks, who could only score 13 points for the Bulldogs.

Power forward Hernal “Wowie” Escosio led the Green Lancers with 23 points and got enough help from his teammates when the Wildcards tried to mount a fourth-quarter uprising.

When the Wildcats moved to within two points, 70-68, early in the fourth, Escosio, the Cesafi rookie-MVP awardee, joined hands with John Michael Abad and Eman Calo to push UV safely away, 76-68.

A two-handed slam by Cameroonian Steve Cedric Akomo made it 80-70 for UV with 5:58 to go.