INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines - San Beda faces an early test as the Red Lions go up against pre-tournament pick San Sebastian Stags Wednesday in the 85th NCAA men’s basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan.

Fresh from convincing opening-day victories, the Lions and Stags seek their second straight wins and a piece of the early lead when they take the floor at 2 p.m.

Lions coach Frankie Lim believes the Stags are one of the teams that will challenge their bid for a fourth consecutive crown this season.

“They’re a very tough team,” said Lim, who caught a glimpse of what the formidable San Sebastian squad is capable of in the pre-season, where the Stags beat them in three out of four meetings.

“Other than Jose Rizal, they are one of the contenders this year,” Lim added of the Stags, who cruised past the Perpetual Help Altas, 76-64, last Saturday.

Hardly challenged in an 85-52 thumping of Mapua, the Lions look to assert themselves anew with American recruit Sudan Daniel and veterans Bam Gamalinda and Borgie Hermida leading the way.

Seen as a worthy replacement for former league MVP Sam Ekwe, the 6-foot-8 Daniel, a standout from California-based Compton Dominguez High School, which has produced a host of NBA players, showed flashes of brilliance against the Cardinals, finishing with 13 points, nine rebounds and five blocks.

Letran tries to bounce back from a heart-breaking loss when it battles guest team Arellano at 4 p.m.

The Knights will have their hands full against the Chiefs, who loom as the strongest among the three guest teams that entered the league this season.

The Chiefs flaunted a strong inside-outside game on the way to crushing fellow newcomer Emilio Aguinaldo College, 80-61, Monday.