INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines?There was no trace of alarm from the coach whose team?s fortunes changed drastically last week.

San Sebastian College coach Ato Agustin, whose Stags flirted with an elimination-round sweep before dropping four of their next five games, believes they will pull through in their knockout game against Jose Rizal University on Monday for the second finals berth in the 85th NCAA cage tournament.

?The San Sebastian team you just saw won?t be the same on Monday,? Agustin said Friday after the Stags yielded their twice-to-beat edge in a 65-72 loss to the Bombers.

?I believe we can bounce back. We just found it difficult executing because Jimbo (Aquino) was not around.?

Without their 6-foot skipper Aquino, the Stags, who set a record of 15 straight wins in the eliminations, faded in the stretch and gave the Bombers a lifeline.

Aquino, who averaged close to 20 points per game in the eliminations, returns to action on Monday after serving a one-game suspension for a punching foul in the defeat to San Beda College last Wednesday.

Three-time defending champion San Beda, which advanced to the finals with an 82-76 victory over Letran College, awaits the winner of Monday?s rubber match set at 3:30 p.m. at the FilOil Flying V Arena.

The best-of-three title series begins on Thursday at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

Even JRU coach Ariel Vanguardia admits Aquino?s absence made life a little easier for them.

?I must admit that our zone defense worked because Aquino was not there,? said Vanguardia.