DENIED on their first try last year, the Southwestern University Cobras formally made it ot the Top 8 as the third seeds going into the knockout quarterfinal round of the FilOil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup 2014, which starts today at The Arena in San Juan City.
SWU topped Group A with 5-1 win-loss record followed by the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers, who were ranked 6th and De La Salle University Green Archers who were ranked 7th.
DLSU, the lone team that handed SWU a defeat, finished the elimination round with 4-2 win-loss slate following its loss to University of Perpetual Help System Dalata Altas, 98-95, in the final game last Saturday.
The Altas (4-2) however, failed to clinch a spot to the quarterfinal round because of an inferior qoutient.
Centro Escolar University Scorpions, Group C top finishers with 6-0 win-loss record clinched the no.1 spot followed by Group B top finisher Far Eastern University Tamaraws (6-0).
No.4 finishers were Group B’s San Beda College Red Lions (5-1); Group C’s National University Bulldogs (5-1); and Group B’s Lyceum University Philippines Pirates (4-2).
The Cobras, the first non-Manila team to make the Top 8, will play the Heavy Bombers at the start of the quarterfinal round at 2 p.m. today.
The Vergel Meneses-mentored Heavy Bombers have yet to win a game against the Cobras.
Last April, the Cobras defeated JRU twice to win the Minglanilla Mayor’s Cup – first a 69-53 in the elimination round then a default victory when the Bombers decided to walk out while they were still ahead 66-63 near the end of the third quarter because of heated situation. Last May 7, SWU defeated JRU 72-68 at the start of their campaign in this tournament.