By Jerome Lagunzad
Four title favorites got the job done last Monday, assuring a blockbuster knockout quarterfinal round in the in the 6th PSSBC Dickies Underwear Cup at the SGS Stadium in Araneta Avenue, Quezon City.
With ace playmaker Joel Cagulangan and Inand Fornillos buckling down to work in the second half, reigning NCAA titlist La Salle-Greenhills pulled away from inaugural champion Hope Christian High School, 90-75, to complete a two-game sweep of Group D.
Cagulangan flirted with a triple-double with 11 points, 10 assists and eight steals while Fornillos collected team-highs of 16 points and 10 rebounds to help the Greenies arrange an explosive showdown with 2015 champion Chiang Kai Shek at the start of the knockout rounds on Tuesday.
“We have not been practicing a lot so I just told them to enjoy the game, just run our plays and stay disciplined,” said LSGH assistant Allen Ricardo, who charges struggled early on before they unleashed their full might after the turn.
Also advancing to the Last 8 was defending UAAP champion Far Eastern University-Diliman, which humbled Manila Patriotic School, 77-50, in a do-or-die encounter for the remaining playoff seat in Group A of the tourney sponsored by Hapee Toothpaste owner Dr. Cecilio Pedro, Blackwater’s Dioceldo Sy, Freego Jeans’ Eduard Tio, Terry Que of Poly Gloss and Rain or Shine, Che Lu Bar & Grill’s Jimmy Dela Cruz and MEC Computers’ Leoncio Chua.
UAAP powerhouse National University, with Rhayyan Amsali and Michael Malonzo taking charge, also sustained its fearsome form at the expense of Letran 83-77 in Group B while Mapua, sans reigning NCAA MVP Will Gozum, crushed Paco Citizen Academy Foundation, 93-64, in another knockout affair in Group C.
In other quarterfinal pairings of the six-day tourney which has Rudy Yu of Dickies Underwear as league chairman, Mapua battles San Beda while FEU tries to hold its ground against reigning CESAFI titleholder University of Visayas and NU collides with San Sebastian.