MANILA, Philippines?National University plays the first of its two must-win games in a bid to enter the seniors quarterfinals of the Nike Summer League basketball tournament at the Far Eastern University gym in Manila.

The NU Bulldogs must beat the Letran College Knights in their 4 p.m. encounter and the RP Youth team in their final match this week if they hope to join Group D leader Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles in the quarterfinals.

NU totes a 4-1 slate with Letran half a game behind at 4-2. In case of a triple tie at 5-2 with idle Feati University, the squad with the highest quotient advances to the next round.

If only two teams emerge with 5-2 records, a playoff will determine the quarterfinalist.

Lyceum-Manila (5-0) and San Beda College (4-0) clash at 10 a.m. in the other seniors game to determine the Group B top seed.

In the women?s division, De La Salle University and Lyceum of the Philippines take on separate opponents in the race for the last quarterfinal seat.

Lyceum (5-3) faces Adamson University (8-0) at 8:30 a.m. while La Salle (5-2) goes up against University of Santo Tomas (7-1) at 5:30 p.m.

If the La Salle Lady Archers win their last two assignments, including Tuesday?s schedule, they will gain the last seat.

However, a three-way tie at 5-4 is also possible among La Salle, Lyceum and idle Philippine Maritime Institute, with the school carrying the best quotient also advancing.

ABS-CBN Sports features weekly highlights of the Nike Summer League on Studio 23 and will cover the live games starting June 5, when the tournament moves up to the quarterfinals.
Schedules, results and stats are available on www.nike.com.ph. Romina S. Austria