DE La Salle University and College of St. Benilde earned outright quarterfinal berths as both teams went undefeated in the elimination round of the Pinoyliga Next Man cUP Season 3.
The Green Archers and the Blazers topped their respective five-team groups with similar 5-0 win-loss records, with DLSU leading Prime division, while CSB taking first place in the Edge category.
Emilio Aguinaldo College finished the single round elimination with a 4-1 card to grab second spot in the Prime division in the playoffs, while at third place is Guang Ming College (3-2).
With identical 3-2 records, New Era University and NCAA defending champion Mapua University are second and third in the Edge division in the quarterfinals.
The fourth quarterfinal positions in the playoff stage from each group will be determined via play-in stage.
Slugging it out for the No. 4 Prime division spot are St. Dominic College of Asia, Ateneo, and San Sebastian College-Recoletos, while 2024 UAAP champion University of the Philippines, Enderun Colleges, and Lyceum of the Philippines University are fighting for the last spot in Edge group.
Records of the six teams from their respective elimination round campaigns will not be carried over in the play-in as they all get back at 0-0.
On Sunday, Adam Roy dela Cruz scored 22 points, Chance Charlton contributed 16 points, Marcus Nicolas added 12 off the bench, while Baruwa Oluwatimileyin Sultan had a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds as the Blue Eagles defeated the Stags, 82-69, for their first play in win at the Enderun Colleges Gym in Taguig City.
In the second game, Kenneth Oumba exploded for 40 points and grabbed 13 boards as the Enderun Titans also won their first play-in match by downing the Pirates, 102-97.
The play-in games will continue on Tuesday as St. Dominic takes on Ateneo at 7 p.m., before Enderun meets UP at 8:30 p.m. On Thursday, St. Dominic faces San Sebastian at 5 p.m., while UP battles Lyceum at 7 p.m.
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