The Philippine Collegiate Champions League Elite 8 is now complete. The PCCL will be another showdown of two of the premiere leagues in the country, the UAAP and the NCAA.

The UAAP casts are their 2009 UAAP final four teams: the 2009 UAAP Champions Ateneo Blue Eagles led by former UAAP MVP Rabeh Al-Hussaini defeated Lyceum Pirates in the Sweet 16 phase. UAAP runner-up UE Red Warriors led by prolific shooting guard Paul Lee who torch the UC Webmasters with an impressive triple-double game with 31 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. UAAP 3rd placer FEU Tamaraws crushed Arellano University Chiefs. Completing the cast of UAAP in Philippine Collegiate Champions League Elite 8 is UST Growling Tigers led by 2009 UAAP MVP Dylan Ababou who spoiled Vergel Meneses’ coaching debut with the JRU Heavy Bombers in Ormoc, Leyte.

Meanwhile, NCAA teams that enter the PCCL Elite 8 are the 2009 NCAA Champs San Sebastian Stags after almost slipped the game into the hands of USC Warriors of CESAFI, NCAA runner-up San Beda Red Lions trashed and humiliated San Sebastian Cavite Baycats with 41 points. Letran Knights escaping a victory over the defending PCCL Champs DLSU Green Archers and completing the cast of NCAA in this year’s  Philippine Collegiate Champions League Elite 8, the Mapua Cardinals who won coming from behind against the University of Visayas Green Lancers led by 7 foot Greg Slaughter.

Here are the Philippine Collegiate Champions League Elite 8 match-ups as shown on the image above:

Ateneo Blue Eagles (UAAP) vs UST Growling Tigers (UAAP)

San Beda Red Lions (NCAA) vs Mapua Cardinals (NCAA)

Letran Knight (NCAA) vs San Sebastian Stags (NCAA)

FEU Tamaraws (UAAP) vs UE Red Warriors (UAAP)

image source: collegiatechampionsleague.net

The 2009 Philippine Collegiate Champions League Sweet 16 cast is now complete. The De La Salle Green Archers are set to defend their title on this year’s PCCL. The Green Archers are forced to have a little bit of road block heading to PCCL sweet 16 after a disappointing 5th place finish in the UAAP. The defending champs were able to past the Luzon-Metro Manila Zonal after beating some squads that includes NCCA-South Champs Don Bosco Technical College Greyhounds, UCLAA Champion St. Francis of Assisi College System Doves and University of Nueva Caceres to be able to compete in the 2009 Philippine Collegiate Champions League Sweet 16.

This year’s Philippine Collegiate Champions League Sweet 16 will be cast by four UAAP teams that includes UAAP back to back champion Ateneo Blue Eagles, UE Red Warriors, FEU Tamaraws, UST Growling Tigers and De La Salle Green Archers. The NCAA with six teams will cast Season 85 Champs San Sebastian Stags, San Beda Red Lions, JRU Heavy Bombers, Letran Knights, Arellano University Chiefs and Mapua Cardinals. The rest of the teams are University of Visayas Green Lancers, USC Warriors, and UC Webmasters from CESAFI. Lyceum Pirates and San Sebastian Cavite Baycats complete the list.

The Philippine Collegiate Champions League will commence its knock out round this coming November 23, 2009 at Ynares Gym in Pasig City. All the games that will be played will be televised live by ABS-CBN Sports on Studio 23 Channel.

Vergel Meneses, a 14 year veteran of the pro league Philippine Basketball Association, is a former JRU ace player but didn’t won any championship.

Now, the task of the new head coach in person of Vergel Meneses is to end the JRU’s 37-year title drought after Ariel Vanguardia failed to do after serving several seasons as head coach of the heavy bombers.

Although “the Aerial Voyager” is new in coaching, he has a little bit of experience, after earning his coaching experience as one of Burger King Coach Allan Gregorio’s assistants in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL).

The first time that the Jose Rizal University tried their luck on a new head coach was few years back, when Ariel Vanguardia replaced Cris Calilan just a week before the 2005 NCAA basketball season opened. Now they’re trying their luck on yet another coach but this time its way far before the next NCAA Basketball Season open.

Even Ariel Vanguardia failed to end the JRU’s title drought he had a good record as head coach of the bombers after he land a seat in the 2008 finals where it came a win close of unseating then reigning titlist San Beda. And last year’s final four that he eventually loss and didn’t make it to the NCAA Season 85 Finals that captured by San Sebastian Stags.

Meanwhile, in UAAP, the NU Bulldogs are still in hunt for their Head Coach. Reports said that UST mentor Pido Jarencio was offered by the SM Management twice as his salary in UST to take charge as head coach of the National University.

Bulldogs losing head coach Manny Dandan was terminated by the NU board right before Game 3 of the UAAP Finals between Ateneo and UE, which the Blue Eagles won.

It was a hard fought ball game as the Letran Squires forces this winner take all match, but failed to snatch the championship.

Arthur Dela Cruz and Baser Amer led the way for the Red Cubs including some clutch plays and cruised to an 86-75 win over Letran in their winner-take-all contest Thursday at The Arena in San Juan City.

It was an emotional win for the San Beda Red Cubs as they gave the last championship for their retiring legendary head coach Ato Badolato to concentrate on his job as the school’s Athletic Director.

Arthur Dela Cruz son of former PBA player and now PBA assistant coach Art Dela Cruz had a monstrous game with 23 points including 8 points in the crucial 4th period. Baser Amer backed him up with 21 markers.

Meanwhile, the sensational scoring machine of Letran Squires Jarelan Tampus scored a game high 36 points but his efforts were not enough to win the championship. Part of Letran’s loss is the fact that their second scoring option and the high flying power forward Glenn Khobuntin sprained his ankle midway of the third quarter and never came back on the game. He finished the game with 10 points.

Former Red Cubs like RP team under-16 coach Eric Altamirano, Smart Gilas Pilipinas standout JV Casio, Jenkins Mesina, Ford Arao, Yuri Escueta, Xavier Nunag, Mike Bravo, Arvie Braganza and Mike Baldos watched the game to pay tribute to Badolato, who helped mold their respective basketball careers.

The Scores:

San Beda 86 - Dela Cruz 23, Amer 21, Abatayo 15, Ludovice 12, Gotladera 7, Javier 4, Moralde 2, Chavez 2, Sara 0.

Letran 75 - Tampus 36, Cruz 14, Khobuntin 10, Inigo 5, Ongteco 5, Cudal 3, Cabigas 2, Maravilla 0, So 0.

Quarter scores: 17-19; 47-34; 67-60; 86-75.

photo by Jan Dizon | ncaa.org.ph

San Sebastian College outplayed and dethroned the San Beda Red Lions during the last two quarters of the game. After leading 10 points at the half the San Beda Red Lions continuously missed shot after shot that led to many easy baskets for the San Sebastian Stags that grabs the lead during the 3rd quarter.

As I’ve expected, Jimbo Aquino this year’s supposedly Most Valuable Player if not with that silly punch he throws during an elimination game finished with 16 points and emerged as the Finals Most Valuable Player. Ato “the atomic bomb” Agustin won his first NCAA Championship as a coach for the San Sebastian Stags and captured this year’s NCAA Coach of the Year.

Meanwhile, Garvo Lanete the only San Beda Red Lions player that fought for this game led the Red Lions with 16 points.

Congratulations to the San Sebastian Stags for winning the NCAA Season 85 Championship! Bravo Baste!

Coach Ato Agustin snatches his first NCAA finals game win as head coach of the San Sebastian Stags. The Stags actually had a very good defense down the stretch and stopped Sudan Daniels during the crucial stages of the game to pull of the Game 1 win.

Jimbo Aquino as I’ve mentioned on my NCAA Season 85 Finals Preview post led San Sebastian Stags with 24 big points and led all scorers as well. Aquino was supported by very hard working Calvin Abueva with 10 points and crashes the board with 23 big rebounds a season high for him.

This rookie laden San Sebastian Stags didn’t give up and pull off the win. The game almost slipped away in their hands when San Beda Red Lions fights back and pushes the game to double overtime. The first one was the shot of Dela Rosa on the corner with 12 seconds left on regulation to push 1st overtime. Second is the dare devil up and under move downstairs of Borgie Hermida to push into 2nd overtime.

Then the San Beda Red Lions might have been tired and failed to trade baskets with San Sebastian. The San Beda Red Lions was led by Garvo Lanete and Borgie Hermida with 11 points apiece.

The NCAA Season 85 Finals Game 2 is scheduled on Saturday 4pm at the Araneta Coliseum.

Both of this teams that entered the NCAA Season 85 Finals came from tough games from the Final Four. The San Beda Red Lions defeated the Letran Knights in the final four although it was an easy win; I consider it as a tough game. Remember that the Letran Knights defeated San Beda Red Lions during the Eliminations. Meanwhile, the San Sebastian Stags won against JRU Heavy Bombers in Game 2 of their final four series, JRU won the 1st game to force the rubber match.

This NCAA Season 85 Finals will be so exciting so you should not miss to watch it live or in TV screens, why? This top 2 teams of this NCAA Season have their pride and spirit that not just gonna let down. The San Beda Red Lions seeking for fourth straight championship and not yet willing to hand over the crown specially to their neighbor school, the San Sebastian Stags who consider themselves as the hungrier team for this is their comeback to the championship scene since 2002.

The San Beda Red Lions considered as the most dominant team in this decade for winning the NCAA Championship three straight times from 2006-2008 will be led by their veterans Borgie Hermida, Bam Gamalinda with the support of their sophomore Garvo Lanete and import Superman Sudan Daniels.

Meanwhile, the San Sebastian Stags the most dominant and the winningest team in the NCAA in the last 15 years will be led by their own veteran Jimbo Aquino with back-ups Calvin Abueva and Ian Sanggalang.

MY PREDICTION: If the San Sebastian Stags pull off Game 1, then they will have a good CHANCE to continue and win this NCAA Season 85 Finals but if San Beda Red Lions won Game 1 then I’ll go for San Beda all the way without a doubt. Statistically speaking, most of teams that won game 1 in any best of three series mostly won.

It’s been a great, long and exciting NCAA Season 85.