Ex-Archers cross paths in Champs League today

Two former De La Salle players aching to carve a niche in the coaching world and two old rival teams with a history of animosity provide the highlights of the Champions League Grudge Games today at the Makati Coliseum.

St. Benilde, coached by Tonichi Yturri, and Adamson, handled by Luigi Trillo, clash at 2 p.m., while De La Salle tangles with Letran at 4 p.m. in the pre-tournament sponsored by Petron, San Miguel, PCSO, Milo and Adidas.

The Blazers-Falcons game will feature two former Green Archers who have moved up the ladder from the x’s and o’s on the playing court to the complex instructions on the diagram board.

St. Benilde is with the NCAA while Adamson is a long-standing member in the UAAP.

But the real treat will be the reunion match between the Green Archers and the Knights whose memorable NCAA encounter decades ago, marked by a bench-emptying melee, occupies a chapter in Philippine collegiate basketball folklore.

The schools that produced Jun Limpot and Franz and Dindo Pumaren, among others (La Salle), and Samboy Lim, Itoy Esguerra and Terry Saldana (Letran) could spark a renewed rivalry that would come to a head in the Round of 32 finals in November.

Late Thursday night, University of the Philippines, benefiting from closing-minute turnovers by NCAA champion San Sebastian, stunned the Stags, 80-75, with Artemio Almeda scoring 14 points and Kenneth Robin and Robson Bornancin each adding 13 points.