Champs League Final 4 under way

HOPING to flash their champion form, La Salle and San Beda stand as favorites when the round-robin Final Four of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) gets going today at Blue Eagle Gym in Ateneo.

The Green Archers, who captured this season’s UAAP crown, clash with Visayas-Mindanao leg winner Southwestern University in the first game at 2 p.m.

Fresh from their fourth NCAA title conquest, the Red Lions take the floor at 4 p.m. versus Luzon-Metro Manila champion Far Eastern University.

“We hope we get our timing back,” said La Salle coach Juno Sauler. “We’re going to play three games in four days, so it’s going to be tough. We’re just preparing the best way we can.”

The Archers admit they’re unfamiliar with the Cebu-based Cobras.

“We have no idea yet how they play,” said La Salle standout Jeron Teng. “But we know Macmac (Tallo). I know he’s a talented player. We saw his potential when he was in La Salle and now he’s the MVP.”

Tallo briefly played for the Archers before heading back to Cebu, where he starred for the Cobras and bagged this year’s MVP in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (Cesafi).

Monbert Arong and Landry Sanjo also helped power the Cobras to a 68-60 upset of Cesafi champion University of Visayas in the stepladder Sweet 16 in the Visayas-Mindanao leg.

San Beda coach Boyet Fernandez, meanwhile,  braces for a tight duel against the Tamaraws, who turned back UAAP runner-up University of Santo Tomas in the final game of the Sweet 16 Luzon-Metro Manila leg.