MANILA, Philippines - Far Eastern University, Ateneo de Manila, Adamson and La Salle became the first teams to secure a place in the Sweet 16 Finals of the Champions League (PCCL) 2010 Philippine Collegiate Championship.
The four teams booked automatic spots after reaching the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) semifinals.
Also assured of spots are the semifinalists in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).
Three NCAA teams have so far qualified to the Final Four, led by San Beda College, San Sebastian College and Jose Rizal University.
The last spot is being contested by Mapua and Letran.
Rey Gamboa, chairman of Philippine Collegiate Champions League, announced that the other automatic qualifiers are the champion and runner-up of the ongoing CESAFI (Cebu) competitions.
University of Visayas Green Lancers, University of Cebu Webmasters, University of San Carlos Warriors and the Southwestern University Cobras are locked in a tight race for the two slots reserved for CESAFI.
The last six seats to the “Sweet 16” Finals are at stake at the zonal qualifying games scheduled to be held starting November in Cebu City, and Metro Manila.
National University Bulldogs and University of the East Warriors are among the teams tipped to barge into the Sweet 16 Finals via the zonal qualifying games.
They will compete in the Luzon-MetroManila Zonal games where four seats to the finals are at stake.
Also qualified to the zonal games are the fifth and sixth placers in the NCAA.
All the games in the 2009 Philippine Collegiate Championship Sweet 16 Finals will be covered by the ABS-CBN television network and aired nationwide on Channel 23 with replays on Balls.
PLDT and Smart Communications are the major sponsors of the event.
For details, visit www.CollegiateChampionsLeague.net.