FANS are in for a treat as the race to the Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Collegiate Pre-Season Championship Season 2 playoffs heats up.
From the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan, the SSL goes to Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila this weekend with three more spots up for grabs in the final weekend of the eliminations.
With five squads already in the playoffs, seven more teams are still in contention for the last three seats in intriguing matchups, none bigger than a rematch between College of St. Benilde and the University of Perpetual Help on Saturday.
Tied at 1-1, the Lady Blazers — back-to-back champions of the NCAA — and the Lady Altas battle it out for the No. 2 spot and the last ticket in Pool C, with University of Santo Tomas having secured the top seed with an unbeaten 3-0 slate. Letran was booted out at 0-3.
Perpetual eliminated St. Benilde in the quarterfinals of the SSL National Invitationals last month for a surprise Final Four finish, beaming with hope for a repeat this time in the elite pre-season tilt.
It’s the same scenario for University of the East (1-1) and San Sebastian College as they go head-to-head for the last seat in Pool A, topped by reigning titlist National U (2-0) entering its last no-bearing match against winless Jose Rizal U (0-2).
Fan-favorite Ateneo (1-0) faces a tight back-to-back schedule in Pool D against playoff-bound Far Eastern U (2-0) on Saturday and fellow hopeful Emilio Aguinaldo College (0-1) on Sunday with Mapua (1-2) hoping to spring a surprise.
Depending on the results, the Blue Eagles could go as high as the No. 1 seed or be dragged to a three-way tie at 1-2, making things complicated for the last bus in Pool D.
