West Negros University defeated John B. Lacson Maritime Foundation, 80-69, recently to bag the Visayas regional tournament of the 2009 Philippine Collegiate Champions League (PCCL) in Bacolod City.

The Mustangs, who won their 11th consecutive NOPSSCEA championship, clinched a spot in the Visayas-Mindanao zonal phase set from November 6-8 in Cebu City.

Already qualified in that tournament are UAAP fifth placer Adamson, NCAA fifth-placer Arellano University, NAASCU champion San Sebastian College-Cavite, Mindanao regional champion Holy Trinity College of General Santos City, University of San Jose Recoletos (USJ-R) and two other CESAFI teams.

The top four teams in the said zonals will advance to the Sweet 16 phase which starts on November 23.

CESAFI, Cebu's top collegiate league, is currently in the thick of its Final Four hostilities with nine-peat seeking University of the Visayas already earned a slot in the finals after beating USJ-R while University of Cebu, powered by 6-10 Junmar Fajardo, is battling University of San Carlos in the other semis pairing.

The champion of the said league will automatically gain a spot in the Sweet 16 joining UAAP titlist Ateneo, University of the East, Far Eastern University, University of Santo Tomas, San Beda, San Sebastian, Jose Rizal University, and Letran

The search for the country's top collegiate ballclub is sponsored by PLDT and Smart Communications.