INQUIRER Sports

COACH ATO AGUSTIN expects his Stags to use lessons from their first loss this season when San Sebastian tries to seal the top spot against defending champion San Beda in the final elimination game of the NCAA men?s basketball tournament Monday.

?I just hope we?ll no longer repeat our mistakes,? said Agustin, referring to the Stags? 80-63 stumble against the Letran Knights. ?We need the No. 1 spot, so we have to be ready against San Beda.?

The frontrunning Stags and the Red Lions battle at 4 p.m., right after their junior counterparts tangle at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

Assured of the twice-to-beat incentive in the Final Four with a league-leading 16-1 record, the Stags will clinch the top spot with another win and a date with the fourth-ranked Letran Knights in the semifinals.

But a San Beda victory will similarly send the Lions to a Wednesday playoff against the Stags for the No. 1 slot.

?We will strike for first place,? said coach Frankie Lim of the second-running Lions, who tote a 15-2 card. ?We have to make major stops on (Jimbo) Aquino. We also have to control the boards, which is crucial so we can do what we want to do in our offense.?

A loss will send the Lions to a playoff against the Jose Rizal Bombers, also on Wednesday, to dispute the No. 2 spot, which comes with the remaining twice-to-beat bonus.

Aquino, one of the league?s top MVP contenders, sizzled with 20 points as the Stags recovered from their first loss with an 84-78 tripping of the Bombers last Wednesday.