Webmasters gain PCCL Sweet 16

MANILA, Philippines - Six-foot-10 June Mar Fajardo fired 32 points, including the winning basket as University of Cebu dethroned University of Visayas, 73-72, Wednesday to capture the CESAFI championship at the Cebu City Coliseum.

The Webmasters won the best-of-five series in four games and booked a spot in the Sweet 16 Finals of the Champions League (PCCL) 2010 Philippine Collegiate Championship sponsored by PLDT, Smart, Molten Balls and ABS-CBN, the official television network.

Fajardo, who declined an invitation to join the Smart Gilas-RP team, was named Most Valuable Player.

Guard Arnold Calo, who missed a desperate shot in the return play, had 20 points in a losing effort as UV battled back from a 21-point deficit to grab the upperhand in the homestretch.

UV sorely missed national player Greg Slaughter who will play for Ateneo next season in the UAAP.

The Webmasters, coached by former Alaska Milk spitfire Roel Gomez, will take on the second placer of the Visayas-Mindanao zonal phase of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League set Nov. 14-16 in Cebu City in the Sweet 16.

Participating in the tourney are Visayas champion University of Iloilo, CESAFI third-placer Southwestern University and fourth-placer University of San Carlos and the Mindanao regional champion.

Despite the loss, the UV Green Lancers still made it to the finals where they will face the Vis-Min zonal champion in the first round.

Already seeded in the Sweet 16 are UAAP champion Ateneo, runner-up Far Eastern University, Adamson and La Salle, NCAA finalists San Beda and San Sebastian, Jose Rizal University and Mapua.

More details can be obtained at www.CollegiateChampionsLeague.net