Sweet 16 battles unfold; Archers, Bulldogs faves

MANILA, Philippines—La Salle and National University start their long climb to the top as the knockout Sweet 16 round of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) gets going Saturday at the FilOil-Flying V Arena in San Juan.

Despite admitting that they’re still adjusting to a new style of play, the Archers remain favored over the University of Batangas Brahmans in their 4 p.m. duel.

The Bulldogs, the other fancied team in the double-header, battle the University of Northern Philippines Sharks at 2 p.m.

“We’re trying to learn the system,” forward Joshua Webb said of the Archers, who recently tapped Gee Abanilla as head coach and Jong Uichico as consultant.

The winner of the Bulldogs-Sharks duel will go up against Jose Rizal University, while the survivor in the Archers-Brahmans battle will clash with the University of Santo Tomas on Monday.

Both the Archers and the Bulldogs nailed Sweet 16 slots by topping the Metro Manila qualifier.

The Sharks ruled the North-Central Luzon while the Brahmans dominated the South Luzon-Bicol leg.

Other squads waiting in the stepladder format are UAAP powerhouses Far Eastern University and Adamson, NCAA heavyweights San Sebastian and Letran, Mindanao leg winner STI and Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) finalists University of Cebu and Southwestern U.

Four-time UAAP champion Ateneo and back-to-back NCAA titlist San Beda clinched outright berths in the Final Four.

PCCL executive director Joe Lipa said the lone Sweet 16 spot left will be disputed in the Visayas leg on Nov. 27 and 28.