PCCL: Viernes lifts St. Clare to an upset of UE

Jeff Viernes waxed hot on a Tuesday afternoon, as his St. Clare College Saints upset the UAAP's University of the East Red Warriors, 81-79, in the last game of day one of the Metro Manila Qualifiers, for the Philippine Collegiate Champions League, held at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan. With the game on the line, Viernes banked in a fadeaway jumper off the glass against the defense of the graduating Gene Belleza, to put the National Athletic Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (NAASCU) champions ahead, 80-79, 25.9 ticks left. The Red Warriors, who had strong showings in the Fr. Martin Cup and the Unigames, were then unable to get anything going despite having a full shot clock to work with. Viernes, who also plays with the Boracay Rum Waves in the PBA D-League, tallied 23 markers, while Marte Gil supported him with 22 points. UE figured into the tourney despite a seventh place finish in their mother league after the FEU Tamaraws, who finished fifth following a loss in the knockout game versus the DLSU Green Archers, opted not to join. In earlier games, the sixth place Adamson University Soaring Falcons lost a 24-point halftime lead, but still had enough to trounce the Interscholastic Athletic Association (ISAA) champions Philippine Merchant Marine School Mariners, 73-63. Despite the recent resignation of head coach Chito Victolero, Gab Banal and Josan Nimes scored 16 and 15 points respectively to help the Mapua Institute of Technology Cardinals thump the Men’s National Collegiate Athletic Association (MNCAA) title holder Centro Escolar University Scorpions, 72-66. Another NCAA squad, the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers, drew 25 markers from John Villarias, to rout Universities and Colleges of Luzon Athletic Association titlist St. Francis College Doves, 86-63. The top two teams to survive the three-day qualifiers will advance to the ‘Sweet 16′ round, where UAAP teams UST, NU, La Salle, and NCAA squads Letran, Perpetual, San Sebastian are waiting. - AMD, GMA News Inboundpass has been covering collegiate basketball for six years. For more NCAA stories and information, check out inboundpass.com and follow Inboundpass on Twitter at @inboundpass