The tension was palpable at the Paco Arena on Monday, the kind of stale, heavy air that only comes after hours of high-stakes basketball in a packed Manila gym. Centro Escolar University (CEU) finally punched their ticket to the finals, ending the hopes of Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas in an 82-75 victory. It felt like a long time coming for the Scorpions, especially after letting that crown slip through their fingers last season.
Mark Jade Sarza was the guy of the hour. He was everywhere, really—dropping 24 points and grabbing 11 boards. Actually, he didn’t just play well; he completely neutralized Precious Momowei, who had a rough night with only seven points and five turnovers. It’s hard to watch a star struggle like that, but such is the game. Misryoum noted how the Scorpions are now eyeing their fifth championship, having already established themselves as the team to beat in this league.
Meanwhile, the other side of the bracket turned into a total nail-biter. Just when you thought the Olivarez Sea Lions had it in the bag, the Philippine Christian University-Dasmariñas (PCU-D) Dolphins decided they weren’t quite ready to go home yet. JayR Pronda put on an absolute clinic to lead his squad to a 78-75 win over the No. 2 seeds.
It was wild. A true do-or-die scenario is exactly what the fans wanted, I guess. Or maybe not, if you’re a coach with high blood pressure—but for everyone else, the intensity was hard to look away from. Misryoum reports that this win forces a sudden-death match, keeping the series alive.
So now we wait for the next set of games. It’s interesting to see how the momentum shifts when you’re backed into a corner; the Dolphins played with a different kind of desperation out there. The floorboards were creaking under the weight of it all, that specific sharp squeak of sneakers that reminds you exactly where you are.
Everything is set for a chaotic finish to the season. Who even knows what happens next in the do-or-die match? It’s anyone’s game, really.