Centro Escolar University secured the first outright semifinals berth in the PGFlex-UCAL Season 8 Basketball Tournament after repeating over Philippine Christian University-Dasmarinas, 82-75, on Thursday at the Paco Arena in Manila.
Five CEU players finished in double figures, but it was 6-foot-9 Precious Momowei who made the decisive impact, sparking a vicious 11-0 run to start the payoff period. That surge erased a 61-62 deficit and turned a tight contest into a rout.
The victory extended CEU’s winning streak to nine games, guaranteeing the Mendiola-based squad a semifinals slot even if it drops its final two games – against Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas on March 19 and defending champion Olivarez College on March 26 – in the second phase of the eliminations.
In the other Top 4 clash, the Olivarez Sea Lions reaffirmed their dominance over the LPU-B Pirates with a 72-63 win, snapping a troubling two-game skid and improving to a 7-2 record. Both PCU-D and LPU-B fell to 5-4.
Just like in CEU’s 80-67 win in the first phase, Momowei used his height and quickness to full advantage, tallying 14 points – seven of them coming in that early fourth-quarter onslaught. He also notched his eighth double-double after grabbing 11 rebounds.
Kem Absalon added a double-double of 12 points and 11 boards, along with five assists, while Mark Sarza was perfect from the field, converting all four of his attempts to contribute 12 points. Kurt Russel Miranda and Christ Jay Singson chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Banking heavily on Rodel Renon’s hot shooting and the inside plays of foreign-student athlete Essissima Menguele, the Sea Lions seized control in the second period and pulled the game apart.
In Group B action, two-time champion Diliman College improved to 5-4 with a 77-65 win over Philippine Women’s University, while Immaculada Concepcion College defeated University of Batangas, 77-69.
With these victories, Diliman and ICC (4-5) bolstered their bids for quarterfinal slots.
