La Salle moved within a victory of earning the last Sweet 16 berth after scoring a 52-42 win over St. Francis in the South Luzon-Metro Manila zonal phase of the 2009 Philippine Collegiate Champions League Friday at the University of Nueva Caceres gym in Naga City.

The Green Archers, the reigning national champions, leaned once more on veteran swingman Peejay Barua to defeat the UCLAA champion Doves for their second win in as many games.

A victory over host University of Nueva Caceres, the South Luzon/Bicol regional titlist, will enable the Archers to complete the Sweet 16 cast.

Already gaining berths to the Sweet 16, set to start Nov. 23 in Manila, are UAAP champion Ateneo, NCAA champion San Sebastian, University of the East, San Beda, Jose Rizal University, Far Eastern University, Letran, University of Santo Tomas, Letran, and CESAFI titlist University of the Visayas.

The six schools that reached the main draw by virtue of winning their respective zonal tournaments are Arellano, University of San Carlos, University of Cebu, San Sebastian College Recoletos de Cavite, University of Manila, and Mapua.

In the other game, NCAA South champion Don Bosco Technical College bounced back from a 44-point defeat to La Salle by downing University of Nueva Caceres, 66-52.

The Taft-based squad is hoping to win its second straight crown despite the absence of three players in James Mangahas, Bader Malabes, and Kish Co and give Franz Pumaren a fitting sendoff in his last tour of duty for La Salle.

Pumaren announced last month that he will step down at the end of the tournament with brother Dindo taking over the reigns starting next year.