UV spanks HTC to set up grudge rematch vs. SWU: La Salle-Adamson duel to open blockbuster double-header today

CEBU, Philippines - The University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers  notched their second straight victory with a 91-74 thrashing of Mindanao champion Holy Trinity College (HTC) Wildcats of General Santos City to climb to the next level of the 2012 Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) Cebu knockout stage yesterday at the Cebu Coliseum.

Games Today

(CEBU COLISEUM)

2 pm La Salle vs. Adamson

4 pm UV vs. SWU

The Lancers, thus, set up a grudge rematch of sort against bitter rivals Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras for the Southern Islands overall championship and a seat in the PCCL Final Four together with early qualifiers UAAP five-peat champion Ateneo Blue Eagles and NCAA grandslam titlist San Beda Red Lions.

The Lancers and the Cobras will rekindle their decades-long rivalry at 4 pm today, right after the La Salle Green Archers square off against the Adamson University Falcons, the hottest team in the league with five straight wins coming from the Metro Manila qualifying games.

Revenge is definitely at the back of UV's mind, but SWU is prepared and ready to reaffirm its dominance over the mighty Lancers.

"We have to win the PCCL elimination to prove that we are indeed the best team in the Southern Island," said the decorated SWU coach Raul "Yayoy" D. Alcoseba in an earlier interview.

The Cobras made a historic title run in this year's Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI) season after they shocked the heavily-favored UV Lancers.

In the epic finale of their best-of-five series, the Cobras amazingly recovered from the depths of an 18-point deficit at the final seven-minute mark of the contest to bring the Lancers back to earth via a 73-72 cliffhanger in what is by far the greatest comeback in Cebu basketball history.

Now that their paths have crossed again, the Cebuano fans will surely be treated to another slambang  showdown between the two giants in local hoopdom.

Alcoseba is expected to squeeze the most from his Cameroonian twin towers Benoit Mbala and Justin Aboude, even as the Cobras could also draw firepower from Monbert Arong, Bonifacio Guillena, Joseph Nalos, Bernie Bregondo, Junrey Ortuyo, and their overnight star John Pajantoy.

The Lancers, on the other hand, will pin their hopes on 6-foot-7 Nigerian center Steve Cedrick Akomo and a powerhouse cast of local talents in the mold of Hernal "Wowie" Escocio, Jun Saycon, Phil Mercader, Emman Calo, John Abad and Raffy Oktubre. (FREEMAN)