San Lorenzo rips TIP, gains Final Four bonus

Games Saturday (Olivarez College gym) 12 noon – CEU vs Olivarez 2 p.m. – TIP vs BulSU

Formidable Colegio de San Lorenzo clinched a coveted playoff incentive and even gave idle Diliman College a free ride to the Final Four round yesterday.

The rampaging Griffins ended the playoff hopes of Technological Institute of the Philippines Engineers behind a wire-to-wire 76-60 victory in the Universities and Colleges Basketball League (UCBL) Season 2 at the Olivarez College gym in Sucat, Parañaque City.

Benin import Soulemane Chabi Yo led the way anew with 19 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals while John Formento tallied 19 points off the bench as CdSL wasted no little time in pulling away from a reeling TIP crew.

More importantly, CdSL streaked to its fifth straight victory, tied idle defending champion Centro Escolar University atop the field with similar 10-1 records and claimed the remaining twice-to-beat advantage in the semifinals.

Jorey Napoles had a team-high 18 points while Tevita Latu collected 13 points, 11 rebounds and five assists but the Engineers still failed to recover from a sluggish start and even trailed by as many as 31 points.

Meanwhile, TIP suffered its third straight setback and eighth overall in 11 matches, kissing its semis hopes goodbye while allowing Diliman College (7-5) to clinch the fourth and final playoff spot.

Earlier, reigning league MVP Dominck Fajardo saved his best for last as Bulacan State University repeated over fellow struggler University of Batangas, 82-71, in a no-bearing encounter.