FAVORITES Philippine College of Criminology and College of St. Catherine of Quezon City carved out contrasting victories at Central Colleges of the Philippines to arrange a showdown in the cage finals of the fledgling National Universities and Colleges Athletic Association.
PCCr Serpent Eagles, from a halftime six-point bulge over San Pedro College of Business Administration, methodically padded their lead in the second half—the widest at 74-53 with eight minutes and 27 seconds remaining behind the guns of Ledgimir Eusebio and Paul Villareal—en route to 85-69 triumph.
Johan Kurt Makalintal engineered an 8-0 rally over a minute and a half, carrying SPCBA to within 12 points, 78-66, 3:15 to go. That was the closest PCCr allowed SPCBA.
Eusebio and Villareal combined for 45 points (the former sank 23 and the latter 22) for Serpent Eagles with Makalintal contributing 15 to SPCBA’s losing effort.
In the other semifinal match of NUCAA’s maiden offering, CSCQC outlasted Electron College, 71-68, after trailing 30-31 at the half.
Top scoring in the see-saw battle all the way were CSCQC’s John Paul Baldelovar with 20 points, and Ian Talucad, 10: and Electron’s Raymond Basilio, 15, and Aaron Reina, 13.
PCCr is asserting its supremacy as the finals in the women’s and junior basketball tournaments also feature its teams. Its women collide with Electron while its juniors clash with CSCQC also.
Next on tap in the NUCAA’s inaugural season is volleyball.