Far Eastern U and Univ. of San Carlos came away with victories in varying fashions to clinch the last two berths in the Sweet 16 of the 2008 Philippine Collegiate Championship.
The Tams routed the Capitol U Stallions, 106-49, while the USC Warriors survived the tough Xavier University Crusaders, 69-66, at the close of the Mindanao zonal games.
The Tamaraws will thus face the Jose Rizal U Heavy Bombers in the first round of the knockout phase in the Sweet 16 while the Warriors will square off with the La Salle Green Archers in the tournament presented by Smart, PLDT, FilOil Flying V and KFC.
The other teams in the national finals are UAAP teams Ateneo and UE and San Beda Letran and Mapua in the NCAA.
For the first time in the Champions League, the CESAFI is represented by three teams – University of Visayas, Univ. of San Jose-Recoletos and the University of San Carlos.
Completing the “Sweet 16” roster are NAASCU champion San Sebastian-Recoletos de Cavite, MLQU of CUSA, UCN of UCAA/NCRAA and zonal qualifiers Arellano U and Lyceum.
At stake is a prize pool amounting to P1.7 million worth of scholarship grants and cash awards to be given to the schools and to the members of the top four teams. The national champion will also represent the Philippines in the Universiade Games in Serbia next year.
For details, log on to www.CollegiateChampionsLeague.net. and www.gameface.ph.