THE chances of four Cebu teams advancing to the Sweet 16 Round of the Philippine Collegiate League may have taken a nosedive after both the University of San Jose-Recoletos and University of Cebu lost in their first matches the other day at the Cebu Coliseum but two other teams are already assured of advancing.

The University of San Carlos joined Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) champion the Universtiy of the Visayas in the Sweet 16 stage after winning the Bacolod Zonals last Friday at the Negros University Gym.

UV earned an automatic slot for being the Cesafi champion.

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The USC Warriors, the third placers this season, ended their bid with a 79-69 win over the West Negros College to finish second in the tournament with a 2-1 win-loss. The Arellan University Chiefs, the NCRAA champions, topped the event with a 3-0 record.

The top two teams in the zonals will advance to the Sweet 16.

Sam Hermosa led the team with 13 points, while Mel Duran added 11.

USC hopes to improve their finish last year where they played in only one game after losing to De La Salle University in the first round.

The top four teams in the UAAP get automatic slots to the PCCL Sweet 16, while the rest of the teams from other leagues have to work hard to get in.

Over at the Cebu Coliseum, the Cebuano teams failed to capitalize on homecourt edge after losing their respective opening games. UC lost to the Adamson Falcons, 78-72, late Friday night, following USJ-R’s loss to San Sebastian College.

UC’s 6’10” pivot man June Mar Fajardo failed to be an asset to the team as he played sloppily.

He scored 18 points, which is a far cry from his usual 20-point average. He got only 50 percent from the free throw line in the crucial final two minutes of the game.

Former UC stalwart, Julius Colina, led Adamson with 14 points. Colina played for the UC high school team and was a back-to-back MVP of the Cesafi.

Going back to a familiar court seems to work for Colina and former USJ-R player Alvin Margallo as they led Adamson to its second straight victory when they eliminated USJ-R, 84-81, boosting their chances of a slot to the Sweet 16.