Lyceum of the Philippines University – Batangas and Olivarez College dispatched their respective quarterfinal foes to secure spots in the Final Four of the Universities and Colleges Athletic League-PG Flex Linoleum Season 6 at the Paco Arena on Saturday.
The Pirates relied on a substantial second-half effort to surpass the University of Batangas Brahmans, finishing with a commanding 109-80 victory.
Meanwhile, the Sea Lions held off the Supremos with a 90-86 win, earning them a spot alongside the Centro Escolar University Scorpions in the semifinals.
LPU-Batangas’s twin towers, Alpha Bah and Edward De Chavez, delivered a lethal one-two punch, each contributing 30 points.
Bah also played a pivotal role defensively, securing 12 rebounds, six steals, and a block.
De Chavez, in addition to his work in the paint, grabbed 16 rebounds, dished out five assists, and recorded two steals and a block.
Bhencent Butuyan added 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Tristan Gad contributed 11 points. Captain Kurt Laput orchestrated LPU’s offense with six points, seven rebounds, and 11 assists.
The Pirates began to pull away in the third frame, outscoring the Brahmans 33-21.
They intensified their defensive efforts in the final frame, limiting their opponents to just 15 points while exploding for 33 themselves.
On the other hand, the Sea Lions utilized a balanced attack to overcome the resilient Supremos, with four players scoring in double figures.
Mark Gallano led the way with an all-around effort of 21 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists, while Hakim Albasse added 18 points and 17 rebounds.
John Umali and Iverson Aquiatan also contributed double-digit scores with 16 and 14 points, respectively.
