Olivarez College clinched the No. 1 seed at the close of the first phase of elims with a 75-60 manhandling of Philippine Women’s University in the UCAL-PGFlex Linoleum 7th Season on Thursday, Feb. 27, at the Paco Arena in Manila.
So overpowering were the OC Sealions they needed just one good start – an explosive one – to take the fight out of the PWU Patriots to finish with an 8-1 card in the 10-school league.
Hakim Njiasse, one of the foreign-student athletes in the league, saw action only for nearly 18 minutes but still emerged the top performer of the game with 17 points and 10 rebounds – a far cry from his 30-point and 30-rebound showing in the team 94-69 drubbing of WCC-Aeronautical and Technological College last Monday.
Host Diliman College eked out a 74-72 win after holding off the spirited comeback of University of Batangas to improve its mark to 6-3 – also the same record of its victim.
Njiasse was ably supported by Jhon Patrick Panela and Monsour Proel with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The Patriots finished the round without a win.
With John Bernard Parista leading the way, the DC Blue Dragons outscored the UB Brahmans, 25-8, in the third to take a 66-47 advantage going into the final period.
The Brahmans rallied furiously but they ran out of time.
Manila Central University also finished with a 6-3 record after edging past Lyceum-Batangas, 81-80, in the third game of the day. The Pirates wound up 8th overall with a 2-7 mark.
The second round of the elims begins on Saturday with the Sealions leading Group 1, along with Nos. 3, 5, 7 and 9, while the other group will be comprise of Nos. 1, 4, 6, 8 and 10.
Both groups will play another round carrying their win-loss records and the two finishers enjoying twice-to-beat advantages in the knockout semis.
