Olivarez College secured the No. 1 seed at the conclusion of the first phase of eliminations with a commanding 75-60 victory over Philippine Women’s University in the UCAL-PGFlex Linoleum 7th Season on Thursday at Paco Arena in Manila.
The OC Sealions were so dominant that they needed just one explosive start to take the fight out of the PWU Patriots, finishing with an impressive 8-1 record in the 10-team league.
Hakim Njiasse, one of the foreign student-athletes in the league, played for just under 18 minutes but still emerged as the game’s top performer, tallying 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Though his numbers were a far cry from his monster 30-point, 30-rebound outing in their 94-69 rout of WCC-Aeronautical and Technological College last Monday, he remained a crucial force for Olivarez.
Host team Diliman College, meanwhile, survived a late scare from the University of Batangas, pulling off a 74-72 win to improve to 6-3—the same record as their opponent.
Njiasse received solid support from Jhon Patrick Panela and Monsour Proel, who chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively.
On the other hand, the Patriots wrapped up the round winless.
John Bernard Parista led the charge for the DC Blue Dragons, fueling a dominant 25-8 third-quarter run that gave them a comfortable 66-47 lead entering the final period.
Though the UB Brahmans mounted a furious rally, they ultimately ran out of time.
The second round of eliminations begins on Saturday, with the Sealions heading Group 1 alongside the Nos. 3, 5, 7, and 9 teams, while Group 2 will feature the Nos. 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 squads.
Both groups will play another round while carrying over their win-loss records. The top two finishers will earn twice-to-beat advantages in the knockout semifinals.
