NBA Rankings : Pacific Division

This is the last edition of the NBA Rankings. This time we shall look on the Pacific Division

Los Angeles Lakers

Biggest Surprise - Shannon Brown. The high-leaping athlete was a big surprise for the Lakeshow. Averaging a career high 7.6 ppg, Brown provides a spark from the Laker's bench with his athleticism and energy.

Biggest Disappointment - Ron Artest. His numbers are down, which is expected in a loaded Lakers team with Kobe Bryant at the helm, but the main reason Artest was brought in L.A. is for defense, and it seems that the defensive intensity of the Lakers is not there, especially against physical teams. Artest is known for playing physically and is not seeing the intensity on the defensive end we're used to see from him.

Team Grade - B. The Lakers had a home-heavy schedule early on, which is a big reason why they are on top of the Western Conference. They are decent on the road too, having an 11-9 record as of this writing, but they need to address their weakness, meaning playing with more intensity and not let sub-.500 teams play them down to the wire and delivering on the big games.

Phoenix Suns

Biggest Surprise - Steve Nash. He is turning 36 this February, but Nash is having a career season, scoring 18.5 ppg, 11 dimes a game while shooting 52.3% from the field, 43.3% from the three and 94.5% on the line.

Biggest Disappointment - Leandro Barbosa. The Brazilian Blur has just completed his wrist surgery, but his numbers are down across the board, from 14.2 ppg to 10.6 ppg this year, and his shooting from 48.2% to 42.2%.

Team Grade - B. After a scorching start in November, the Suns are starting to struggle as teams find a way to take advantage of their weak frontline defense. It is amazing how Nash is able to carry this team and have a career averages this season despite his age, but will it be enough for the Suns to secure a playoff spot?

Los Angeles Clippers

Biggest Surprise - Chris Kaman. Kaman is averaging a career-high 20 ppg this season, along with 9.1 rebounds. Now that Blake Griffin will be out for the season, Kaman will be the main offensive force in the post for the Clippers, who are trying to hold on the playoff bubble.

Biggest Disappointment - Blake Griffin. It is tough to put Griffin's name here, as it is totally not his fault for being injured but as the first draft pick, everybody is having high expectations for Griffin, but now he will not even play a single game this season.

Team Grade - C+. Despite Griffin not playing a single game, the Clippers are desperately hanging on outside the playoff bubble, but it looks like the other L.A. team will not be able to hold on much longer on the tight Western Conference playoff spot.

Sacramento Kings

Biggest Surprise - Tyreke Evans. When Kevin Martin went down with an injury, Evans carried the Kings by himself. Averaging 20.8 ppg, 4.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game, Evans is trying to become the fourth player in NBA history to average 20-5-5 in his rookie year, along with Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson and LeBron James.

Biggest Disappointment - Kevin Martin. Since he came back from the injury, Martin is averaging only 12.7 ppg while shooting 31.2% from the field and 27% from beyond the arc. It is looking more and more like Martin and Evans cannot co-exist together.

Team Grade - C-. The Kings were able to have a stretch outside the playoff bubble in December, but since then, they have struggled and looking like a lottery team again that many expected. This will be a good time to develop the chemistry of Kevin Martin and Tyreke Evans at least until before the trade deadline. Else, if the Kings may be looking to move Martin and build their franchise behind Evans in the future.

Golden State Warriors

Biggest Surprise - Monta Ellis. Ellis is now leading the Warriors the way the Warriors were expecting him when they gave him that huge contract last season, and now it is paying dividends, with Ellis scoring 26.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg and 5.5 dimes a game while playing 42 minutes a game!

Biggest Disappointment - Andris Biedrins. Biedrins is coming back from an injury, but the energy is not yet up to the levels he had the previous years, although his form is slowly coming back. Until then, 5.3 ppg and 10% from the free throw line won't cut it for a starting center.

Team Grade - D. Lately, the Warriors are getting to the same route the Blazers are having, injured players. Not good, especially on a struggling team like the Warriors, although this circumstance forced Don Nelson to play Stephen Curry a lot of minutes and is responding to the call which could be a blessing in disguise as the Warriors build on for next season.

NBA Rankings : Northwest Division

It's been a while since I last created the NBA Rankings for the Southwest Division. This time, let's move on to the Northwest Division.

Denver Nuggets

Biggest Surprise - Ty Lawson. Lawson is doing a good job on backing up Chauncey Billups, scoring 9.3 ppg, dishing out 3.7 dimes a game while shooting at 49% from the field.

Biggest Disappointment - J.R. Smith. He is talented no doubt, as he can go and score 40 off the bench on any given night. However, Smith has been erring on the struggling side this season, shooting only 40.3% from the field and 32% from beyond the arc.

Team Grade - B+. There was a disappointing loss to the Kings (twice) and the Timberwolves at home, but they were able to beat the Lakers at home and Carmelo Anthony is having an MVP-caliber season. It is quite tight race for 2nd in the West, and health will be a major factor for the Nuggets this season, as Billups is not getting any younger, and Anthony is having some injury bugs as well.

Utah Jazz

Biggest Surprise - Carlos Boozer. The fact that he's been healthy all season long is a surprise in itself. Boozer is currently averaging 19.4 ppg, 10.8 rpg while shooting 53.9% from the field and a career-high 77.6% at the line.

Biggest Disappointment - Mehmet Okur. His numbers are down across the board, from 17 ppg last season to 12.6 ppg, 48.5% to 42.5% and from 7.7 rpg to 6.8 rpg. It seems that Boozer playing healthy has taken Okur's aggresiveness a step backwards.

Team Grade - B. They were quite inconsitent early on and went on a stage where they are losing at home to teams like the Timberwolves. But they are picking their pace now and in a tight Western Conference, are currently sitting at 4th for that final homecourt advantage in the 1st round of the Playoffs.

Portland Trail Blazers

Biggest Surprise - Juwan Howard. When everyone from the frontline of the Blazers except for LaMarcus Aldridge went down, the 16-year veteran responded by posting 8.9 ppg and 7.1 rpg as a starter in 14 games for the ailing Blazers.

Biggest Disappointment - Jerryd Bayless. Now given the opportunity to play more minutes, Bayless is scoring quite decently, netting 11.2 ppg in December and 10.5 ppg in January, but he is only shooting the ball at around 40% for that particular month. He is at times inconsistent and sometimes could explode in a game but at times could not even hit a field goal. Consistency is something this kid needs and he'll be a scoring force in the NBA.

Team Grade - B+. Despite all the injuries to tthe Blazers, they are still in the playoff bubble, and in fact is in 5th place in the powerhouse Western Conference. The question remains though, whether the Blazers can keep this pace, as even Brandon Roy is battling a hamstring injury right now.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Biggest Surprise - Kevin Durant. The former 2nd draft pick just made it up a notch higher. Upping his scoring averages from 25.3 to 29.3 ppg, 6.5 to 7.3 boards and more importantly, getting to the line even more! from 7.1 attempts last season to 9.7 attempts this season!

Biggest Disappointment - Jeff Green. His scoring is down, from 16.5 ppg to 14.0 ppg this season. Maybe this could be due to Durant being more aggressive on the offense for the Thunder but Green's 3 point percentage is down from 39% to 29% this season.

Team Grade - B+. It is just a year ago where the Thunder were struggling to get wins, but now they are in the playoff hunt for the first time since the franchise moved from Seattle to OKC. With Durant playing an MVP-caliber year and with his young teammates, OKC will be a force to watch in the upcoming years.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Biggest Surprise - Kevin Love. Love was out for the first month of the season, but when he played, he is posting monster numbers, scoring 14.9 ppg and 11.9 rpg, up from 11.1 and 9.1 respectively last season. He is just crashing it on the boards for the Timberwolves.

Biggest Disappointment - Al Jefferson. Jefferson came back from a knee-injury last season, but his numbers are down a lot across the board. From 23.1 ppg last year to 17.9 ppg this season.

Team Grade - D. This team is in rebuilding mode, and as they are trying to learn the concept of the complicated triangle offense, wins will be hard to come by for Kurt Rambis-coached team.

NBA Ratings : Southwest Division

This is the fourth edition of the NBA Ratings. This time, let's check out the Western Conference, starting out with the Southwest Division.

Dallas Mavericks

Biggest Surprise - Erick Dampier. Contract Year Phenomenon perhaps? Maybe, but Damp is crashing it on the boards, getting 9.2 a game while scoring 8.2 ppg, up from 5.7 last year, and more importantly, shooting 68% from the field!

Biggest Disappointment - Josh Howard. He's just not the same player anymore, well at least for now. He is only scoring 13.1 ppg on 40.3% shooting and his stats across the board are down from his usual production.

Team Grade - B+. Considering where they were last year, they improved quite well, and they have 2nd place in the West to show it. Dirk is playing his hearts out and is having another MVP year, while Kidd has been steady for the team and Shawn Marion helps them maintain their depth and production despite Josh Howard's limited playing time this season.

San Antonio Spurs

Biggest Surprise - DeJuan Blair. The kid from Pittsburgh is showing he can play with the big boys, and with the energy he brings to this somewhat aging Spurs team helps. Averaging 6.7 ppg and 5.6 boards may not sound like a lot, but he is doing it in only 16 1/2 minutes!

Biggest Disappointment - Tony Parker. His scoring is down, from 22 ppg last season to 16.8 this year, and crucially, 3 turnovers a game for only the second time in his NBA career.

Team Grade - B. They started somewhat slow again, which seems to become a Spurs tradition, and is now picking their pace up. Richard Jefferson's acquisition did not mesh as quickly as most have expected, but come playoff time, this is still a dangerous squad to face.

Houston Rockets

Biggest Surprise - Carl Landry. A spark off the bench, Landry is averaging 16.9 ppg while shooting 57.2% and making 86.5% at the line with 6 boards. He is so efficient offensively for the Rockets that he became an offensive threat for them this season.

Biggest Disappointment - Tracy McGrady. His ego is still there, as with most NBA Superstars, but you can't deny the fact that he was still somewhat expected to bring something to this Rockets team, but all he was able to bring to the table are headlines of his bickering with Rick Adelman and his playing time.

Team Grade - A-. Seriously, nobody would thought this Rockets team will be in the playoff hunt. With Yao Ming out for the season and Tracy McGrady coming back from surgery, losing two starters, and both All-Stars at that makes this Rockets team winning games in the tough Western Conference even more surprising. Playing their hearts out every game, they will surely give the opposing team headaches everytime they face this Rockets team.

New Orleans Hornets

Biggest Surprise - Devin Brown. Not really known as a three-point specialist, Brown is shooting a career high 41.4% from downtown, and is averaging 10.8 ppg this season. Maybe playing with Chris Paul unlocks his potential from downtown and his offensive prowess, as for his 2nd stint with the Hornets is averaging in double-figures again.

Biggest Disappointment - James Posey. Posey was taken so that the Hornets will have someone who performs during crunch time and for his defense. But this season, Posey has been nothing but a disappointment, scoring only 5.5 ppg while shooting 36.4%, down from career averages of 9 ppg and 41.4%.

Team Grade - B-. They started off really slow, and with Byron Scott's firing and CP3's injury early, things are not looking good for the Hornets. Luckily for them, their rookies stepped-up and now the Hornets are two games above .500 and is in the playoff hunt.

Memphis Grizzlies

Biggest Surprise - Marc Gasol. The NBA Sophomore is making the Pau Gasol trade to the Lakers less lopsided with his performance this season, averaging career-highs in points, rebounds, blocks and field goal percentage with 14.7 ppg, 9.7 rpg and 61.9% from the field.

Biggest Disappointment - Hasheem Tahbeet. The 2nd pick of the 2009 draft is still a project for Memphis, but for a 2nd draft pick, his season averages are still somewhat of a disappointment, with only 2.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg and 1.1 bpg. While quite disappointing stats for a 2nd pick, he is still getting those numbers in only 11 minutes a game, so he is still developing his game and could be a force in the future.

Team Grade - B+. Who would have thought that the Memphis Grizzlies will be in the playoff hunt? Nobody. Even with the acquisition of Zach Randolph from the Clippers and Allen Iverson, most considered them a lottery team. But now they are above .500 after a 1-8 start, and when Iverson left the team, wins started to pile up for the Griz.

NBA Ratings : Southeast Division

This is the third edition of the NBA Ratings. We will check out the last Division in the Eastern Conference, the Southeast Division.

Orlando Magic

Biggest Surprise - Jason Williams. When Jameer Nelson went down, The White Chocolate made sure the Magic will stay afloat in the race for the top alongside the Cavs and the Celtics. Averaging 7.2 ppg, may not seem that much, but he is very efficient in the other categories, shooting 44.6% from the field, 42.6% from beyond the arc and more importantly, a 4:1 assist-turnover ratio.

Biggest Disappointment - Jameer Nelson. His season have been plague with injuries, and that affected his production, only scoring 12.1 ppg, down from 16.7 last season, while shooting only 41.6% from 50.3% last year and only 36.4% from three.

Team Grade - B+. Yes, they are still in the top 3, and they also added Vince Carter in the lineup, but things aren't really meshing that well with the Magic. They lost to the Celtics at Christmas day, and Dwight Howard is not really as dominant down low. Despite that, they are still in the hunt for the best record in the East, and when Nelson and Howard assert themselves, this team will be tough to beat come start of April.

Atlanta Hawks

Biggest Surprise - Jamal Crawford. Being the spark plug of the offense from the bench, Crawford looks to have accepted the role of being the primary weapon from the bench, and it is showing dividends, scoring 16.5 per game while shooting 45.6% from the field, the second time in his career he broke the 45% mark.

Biggest Disappointment - Mike Bibby. For the first time in his career, he is averaging in single digits with 9.7 ppg, way below his 16.2 career average.he is also shooting 41.6%, down from 43.5% last season.

Team Grade - B+. The Hawks are making a statement, trying to make the East's Big 3 into a Big 4. The acquisition of Jamal Crawford last summer, it seems that the Hawks will try to pull off a surprise and may even make a run to the Finals come playoff time.

Miami HEAT

Biggest Surprise - Quentin Richardson. Q has been shooting quite well for the HEAT, hitting 45.5% of his shots, and 42.3% from the 3-point line. He seems to have found his rhythm to his shots in South Beach, as Q is a career 39.9% shooter.

Biggest Disappointment - Mario Chalmers. He was supposed to pick-up his success from his rookie season, but now he is relegated at the second unit in the meantime, for being late in practice. His scoring is down from 10 ppg to 8.6 and more importantly, his steals and dimes are down, from 2 to 1.5 and 4.9 to 3.8 respectively.

Team Grade - B-. This Miami HEAT team is where they want to be, in the playoff hunt just behind the top 4 teams in the East. But they have played a lot of home games now, and they must win their assignments at home to ensure they will be above .500 for the season.

Charlotte Bobcats

Biggest Surprise - Gerald Wallace. Just when you thought his rebounding average peaked last year, Wallace brings it up even further, averaging a career-high 11.9 boards a game, while maintaining his stat-filling averages of 17.9 ppg, 1.7 steals and 0.9 blocks per game.

Biggest Disappointment - Boris Diaw. After averaging 15.1 ppg last season for the 'Cats, his scoring is now down to 9.9 per game, and more importantly, his dimes and boards are down too, from 4.9 to 3.4 and 5.9 to 4.1 respectively.

Team Grade - C+. Things did not look so good early in the season, with the whole team struggling to score, but when Stephen Jackson was traded to the Bobcats, the offensive problems were resolved, and now looking to be in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.

Washington Wizards

Biggest Surprise - Brendan Haywood. Haywood is averaging 9.5 ppg while getting a career-high 10.3 boards a game, with 2.3 blocks to boot! for the first time in his career, Haywood is looking to end the season averaging a double-double.

Biggest Disappointment - Gilbert Arenas and Caron Bulter. Arenas maybe returning from such a long lay-off and is now picking his pace up there, but when you put your team in the spotlight because of wrongdoings, you're not doing your team any favors. As to Butler, his scoring is down from 20.8 last year to 17.2, and his shooting percentage from 45.3% last season to 43.1 this season.

Team Grade - D-. This Wizards team is expected by many to challenge for the 4th spot in the playoffs, with the Big 3 now healthy and playing together, and they even hired Flip Saunders to help them make their run, but team issues and not making plays down the stretch have cost this team a lot, and things are starting to look bleak now for the future.

NBA Ratings : Central Division

It's the second edition of the NBA Ratings. Now let's look at the Central Division.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Biggest Surprise - JJ Hickson. Upping his scoring averages from 4 to 7 ppg, from 2.7 boards to 3.7 per game while shooting 53.7% from the field. Not really the x-factor in the Cavs lineup yet, but his athleticism and high leaping ability makes him LeBron James' target for alley-oop passes.

Biggest Disappointment - Zydrunas Ilgauskas. I hate to put his name out there, heck I even considered putting none because it is unfair to put Z's name since Shaq is now the defacto starting center for the Cavs. But in the 6 games Z started, he only garnered 8 ppg and 7 boards in 28 minutes, while shooting 43% on the field, which is quite mediocre for a big man.

Team Grade - A-. They started slow, but they defeated the Magic and the Lakers away from home. They also played a lot of home games already and is now leading the East.

Chicago Bulls

Biggest Surprise - Joakim Noah. Who would have thought this kid from Florida will be one of the league rebounders this season? averaging 7.6 boards last season, he shot up his average this season to 12.2. The only player who was similarly able to garner such big gap in the boards this year is Gerald Wallace of the Charlotte Bobcats.

Biggest Disappointment - Brad Miller. I could have also put John Salmons here, but Salmons made it up for his defense and steals. Brad Miller's stats are down across the board, with his points from 11.8 a year ago to 7 ppg, 7.4 boards to 4.5 this year and 47% from the field to 41% this season.

Team Grade - B-. They somewhat looked lost in the middle of December, losing to the Nets, and letting the Kings win at home while leading by 35 points, and the rumours surfaced of Vinny Del Negro's firing, but now they are winning and is in the hunt for the playoffs and is starting to look like the team everyone expected them to be.

Milwaukee Bucks

Biggest Surprise - Brandon Jennings. Kudos to Ersan Ilyasova too, but the rookie will take the plum, as nobody expected a rookie to explode for 55 points, and that deserves recognition. Although he cooled off a bit in December, he is looking to fight at the Rookie of the Year honors.

Biggest Disappointment - Michael Redd. His points went down from 21 to 12 ppg this season, and he is not shooting the ball well, shooting 35% from the field, and more importantly, shooting 28% from 3 and 68.5% from the line! What happened to the shooting touch?

Team Grade - C. It is quite unbelievable how a month of time changed a lot of things. Early in the season, the Bucks are even leading the Central Division, now they are just in the bubble looking outside to make the playoffs.

Detroit Pistons

Biggest Surprise - Ben Wallace. I thought this guy is retiring? Whatever retirement plans Wallace had in mind before, it is good that he didn't, as he is showing he can still play, especially on the defensive end, getting 9.6 boards, 1.3 steals and a block per game.

Biggest Disappointment - Richard Hamilton. Yes, he is still averaging 17 ppg, but he's taking 18.3 attempts! His field goal percentage are down by a lot, shooting 35.5% and his 3 point shooting is atrocious, shooting 19.2%.

Team Grade - C-. The acquisitions of Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva is not translating as Joe Dumars hoped, but they are in the playoff hunt, and injuries to Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince may have had effects on team chemistry. They will look to bounce back now with a healthy lineup.

Indiana Pacers

Biggest Surprise - Dahntay Jones. Known more as a defensive stopper, nobody expected Jones to score a lot when he went to Indiana. Averaging 5.1 ppg, he is scoring 12.1 a game this season, and is taking it strong to the rim, averaging 4.2 attempts at the line.

Biggest Disappointment - Brandon Rush. This was supposed to be his breakout year, after averaging 16.3 points in April last season, Rush was given the opportunity to show that he's the real deal, but so far he has not been able too, averaging only 7.9 ppg while shooting 39% from the field, and more importantly, shooting only 48.4% at the line!

Team Grade - D. This team is very lucky to be that they are in the East, else, they would be out of playoff contention already. They are without Danny Granger, and now Troy Murphy is out. It does not look good for the Pacers and they are looking lost out there. They better turn things around now or they would be in the lottery again.

NBA Ratings : Atlantic Division

Ok, it's been a while since I last posted here. To start the New Year off, I'll make a series of blogs on rating the NBA teams this past 2009 in the 2009-10 season. Let's start off at the Atlantic Division

Boston Celtics

Biggest Surprise : Kendrick Perkins. He upped his scoring average from 8.5 to 12 per game while maintaining the 8 boards he gets and 2 blocks per game. He is starting to help light the load on the Celtics offense if he keeps maintaining his efficiency.

Biggest Disappointment : Rasheed Wallace. He was supposed to be Kevin Garnett's insurance if KG goes down, but what did Sheed do? Jack up technicals and threes. He is shooting a career-low 38.8% from the field and 28% from behind the arc, while averaging 9 ppg, another career-low and the first time in his career to average in single digits.

Team Grade : B. This Celtics team plays the big teams at their level. However, they also play the struggling teams at their level, which is a big problem if they keep on thinking they can just flip the switch and play at a high level.

Toronto Raptors

Biggest Surprise : Jarrett Jack. Yes, his scoring average from last season went down, but when Jose Calderon went out with a hip injury, Jack played efficiently as the starting point guard and helped anchor the defense of the Raptors in the wing, as they are winning games now and beating teams they are supposed to beat.

Biggest Disappointment : Jose Calderon. The Raptors were struggling to win with Jose Calderon as their point guard. Also, his numbers are down, from 8.9 assists to 6.2 and more importantly, his free throw shooting suffered a lot, from 98% to 78.7% this season.

Team Grade : B-. They were struggling early in the season, and now they are picking their pace up and beating teams below .500 which they are supposed to do if they want to get into the playoffs.

New York Knicks

Biggest Surprise : Danilo Gallinari. He wasn't able to showcase what he could do last season, and now he is doing things that he can do, which is shooting the lights out from beyond the arc. His scoring went up from 6.1 to 14.4, and more importantly, he is part of the main rotation of the Knicks now.

Biggest Disappointment : Larry Hughes. Yes, he started the season well when he was called to play, but now he is struggling and is shooting 37% from the field while shooting 30% from beyond the arc.

Team Grade : C. They did struggle early in the season, and there was the Mike D' Antoni - Nate Robinson drama, but now they are winning and is on the playoff bubble now.

Philadelphia 76ers

Biggest Surprise : Lou Williams. Before he went down with injury, Lou is posting efficient numbers, scoring more than 16 per game and 5.1 assist while shooting above 46% and snatching 1.7 steals a ball game. Now that he's playing with AI, his shots are reduced but is playing quite well alongside the Answer.

Biggest Disappointment : Elton Brand. No question. This guy is supposed to be the guy that will get the 76ers over the hump, but now he is on the team's second unit. Averaging 13.7 pts per game, which is well below his 19.7 ppg average, while grabbing only 7 boards.

Team Grade : D. They struggled a lot, and is the second worst team in the East right now. The acquisition of Allen Iverson may have helped them get some wins, but still not the way some expected to be.

New Jersey Nets

Biggest Surprise : Chris Douglas-Roberts. His scoring went up a lot, from 4.9 ppg last season to 16.4 this year. He is more aggresive on the court right now and even calling out the team for not giving an effort when they were at a big losing streak.

Biggest Disappointment : Courtney Lee. He was supposed to be the go to guy now that Vince Carter was traded to Orlando. Yes his scoring average went from 8.4 to 11.5, but his efficiency took down a lot, with his fg% down from 45% to 39.5 and his 3fg% down from 40.4% to 24%!

Team Grade : F. Yeah they suffered injuries and all that, but to lose an NBA-record 18 straight games? That is a big disappointment and nobody expected that to happen. Now the Clippers and the HEAT can enjoy themselves.

Letran Sends Defending PCCL Champions De La Salle Home

JP Belencion scored 10 three pointers to end with 36 points and lead Letran to the Elite 8 of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League. Belencion and Alas led the Knights attack in the first half as the duo scored in double-digits in the half, as Joshua Webb kept the squad from Taft in the game at the half by scoring 15 markers.

Then come in the 3rd canto, Belencion continued his shooting barrage, extending Letran's lead to double-digits and never looked back. This puts the Knights on the quarters, awaiting for the winner of the San Sebastian College-Recoletos and Univeersity of San Carlos match as their next opponents.

In the ensuing game, the UAAP champs Ateneo Blue Eagles kept the Lyceum Pirates at bay, winning the game 73-63. The Pirates actually held the lead in the early moments of the game, before the Eagles' full court pressure helped them back in the game and built a big lead before the Pirates tried to make a one last dash, hence the final score. The Eagles will await the winner of the Jose Rizal University and University of Santo Tomas game in the Elite 8.

Far Eastern University and San Beda College are the other teams that had advanced in the Elite 8 as they have beaten Arellano University and San Sebastian College-Recoletos Cavite respectively.

Meanwhile on Saturday, the University of the East will face off against the University of Cebu, runner-up of the CESAFI. UC will be touting their 6' 9" Junmar Fajardo against UE, as the Mapua Institute of Technology will be squaring off against the CESAFI Champions University of Visayas, who will be led by 6' 11" Greg Slaughter as these teams duke it out for the 2 more slots on the Elite 8.