Big guns of UAAP, NCAA vie for SSL quarterfinals
Games Tuesday
(Filoil EcoOil Centre)
9 a.m. — La Salle vs University of Southern Philippines Foundation
12 p.m. — Lyceum vs Adamson
2 p.m. — La Salle-Dasma vs UST
4 p.m. — Enderun vs College of St. Benilde
FANCIED squads De La Salle University, College of St. Benilde (CSB), University of Santo Tomas (UST) and Adamson University seek to live up to expectations against separate counterparts to top their groups and clinch quarterfinal tickets in Day 3 of the 2023 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) National Invitationals Tuesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
Action kicks off a 9 a.m. with reigning UAAP champion De La Salle (1-0) clashing against CESAFI runner-up University of Southern Philippines Foundation (0-1) in Pool A followed by the 12 p.m. duel between Adamson (1-0) and Lyceum of the Philippines University (0-1) in Pool C.
At 2 p.m., UST collides (1-0) with De La Salle-Dasma (0-1) in Pool B while two-time NCAA queen CSB tackles Enderun Colleges at 4 p.m. in Pool D to wrap up the short single-round robin elims among 12 teams from the NCR, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Only the top two teams from each pool will advance to the knockout playoffs of the SSL presented by Eurotel as official hotel and Victory Liner as office transport provider, and in cooperation with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
Only Notre Dame of Dadiangas University (0-2) so far from General Santos City in Pool D is out of contention, making the last playdate a waiting game for CESAFI champion University of San Jose Recoletos or USJR (1-1) in Pool B and Jose Maria College Foundation or JMCF (1-1) in Pool C to determine their fates.
While all eyes are on the big guns from the UAAP and the NCAA, unheralded squads like the USJR from Cebu and the JMCF from Davao have proven their worth so far in the historic joust also backed by Mikasa, Team Rebel Sports, Summit Bottled Water, Genius Sports, Potato Corner, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken and Sauce Bar, and R&B Tea.
USJR took down Luzon bet La Salle-Dasma, 25-20, 25-18, 25-18, while JMCF stunned NCAA runner-up Lyceum via reverse sweep, 24-26, 25-19, 25-22, 26-24, to stay in playoff contention. — John Bryan Ulanday
