CLASH OF UNBEATENS
De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers and CM Farm Lyceum of the Philippines (LPU) Pirates collide against each other Wednesday evening in the last day of elimination round
The inevitable clash of unbeaten teams De La Salle University (DLSU) Green Archers and CM Farm Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) Pirates was set Wednesday evening after both teams crushed their respective foes Tuesday in the 82nd Araw ng Davao college invitational basketball tournament at Almendras Gym Davao City Recreation Center.
DLSU overwhelmed University of the East (UE) Red Warriors, 78-66, behind Encho Serrano's 14 markers and seven points each from Jollo Go and Justin Baltazar. John Apacible sank 17 for UE's losing cause.
LPU, for its part, thrashed University of Cebu (UC) Webmasters, 95-67, as Rhanzelle Yong drilled in 24 points. John Jabello canned 20 baskets for the Webmasters.
Green Archers associate head coach Gian Nazario and Pirates head coach Topex Robinson, in seperate interviews with SunStar Davao after their respective games, were one in saying that their elimination round encounter Wednesday, March 20, will be a must watch.
Nazario said, "Alam naman natin Lyceum has been a contender in the NCAA. We played them in a tune-up game two weeks ago, we lost by seven points. It was a good game, a good gauge for us since we only started two months ago. Makikita namin how far we've come as a team."
He said LPU's edge is having been together for sometime longer than their current DLSU squad.
"May advantage sila, may advantage din kami," Nazario said, reacting on LPU assistant coach Gilbert Malabanan's comment that DLSU has the height and heft that they don't have.
Robinson, meanwhile, said the Pirates are always after growth. He said playing the Green Archers is an "opportunity to really improve as a team".
"It's a good test for us as a new group since we don't have our veterans anymore. It's going to be an exciting opportunity," Robinson said, adding that they may not control the outcome of the game but they control the effort they put into the game.
He also said, "It's always setting the standard for us.
Whether we play the No. 1 team or the last place team, our focus is always about our individual growth. We don't really care who we are playing."
DLSU and LPU, both with identical 2-0 win-loss cards, are most likely to collide anew for the championship today since the top two teams in the single round-robin four-team eliminations will advance to finals. UC and UE currently shared the bottom of the team standings with 0-2 mark each and will most likely battle for third.
Cash prizes and trophies await the winners of the league sanctioned by Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) regional director Glenn Escandor and sponsored by the city government of Davao through the Sports Development Division of the City Mayor's Office (SDD-CMO).