BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – University of Santo Tomas meets University of Visayas and St. John Institute faces Sacred Heart of Jesus Montessori Saturday in the crossover semifinals of the SBP National Under-16 Basketball Championship at the University of Baguio gym.

The Baby Tigers face the Baby Lancers at 2:30 p.m. and the Bacolod-based St. John cagers collide with the Cagayan de Oro-based squad at 4 p.m. in what organizers expect to be a slam-bang showdown as all four teams are almost even in all departments.

UST and Scared Heart of Jesus topped Group B and UV and St. John clinched the first two slots in Group A.

The top two teams will slug it out in the winner-tall-all match in the champion bring home trophy plus the P30,000 donation to the school from SBP president Manny Pangilinan.

“It’s a tough battle against UV. We have to stay focused and play tough defense because UV is a tough nut to crack,” said coach Allan Jake Ascue.

UST advanced to the semis by crushing St. Bridget School of Batangas, 80-32, at the close of the elimination

Ascue will rely on his top gunners led by Paulo Corre, Ryan Joseph Syyap, Alvin Baethiong, Thristan Edge Laman and John Roald Mayor against UV.

UV coach Kenneth Pepito admitted UST is strong and but the veteran mentor is unfazed with the fancied UST squad in their do-or-die encounter dubbed as the battle between Luzon and Visayas on the hardcourt.