Surging Knights, Altas face struggling ‘NC’ foes

LETRAN and Perpetual Help square off today against foes desperate to boost their Final Four hopes in the 89th NCAA basketball tournament at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

Seeking a share of top spot, the Knights face the Arellano Chiefs at 4 p.m., before the Altas, running third with a 9-3 record, meet the skidding Jose Rizal U Heavy Bombers.

While the Knights and the Altas look on course to nailing Final Four berths, the Chiefs and Bombers are determined to stay in the thick of the fight for spots in the postseason.

Arellano got a lifeline with a narrow 76-75 win recently over Lyceum thanks to a jumpshot from guard John Pinto in the dying seconds.

Arellano coach Koy Banal hopes the victory will spark a turnaround for the Chiefs, who came into the season as one of the favorites before slipping into the bottom half of the standings.

“We just have to keep believing,” said Banal after the win against Lyceum that jacked up the Chiefs’ record to 4-8.

The Bombers are on a three-game slide, losing their first two games of the second round, including a 54-68 loss to San Beda last Monday.

Struggling the past two games, Paolo Pontejos and Michael Mabulac will try to lift the Bombers who are in solo fifth spot with a 5-6 record.

The Knights are playing for the first time since suffering a 76-80 loss to the Lyceum Pirates last Sept. 5.

The Knights will pin their hopes on the duo of Raymond Almazan and Mark Cruz. But Letran will miss the services of key reserve Ford Ruaya for two games for his foul on Aziz Mbomiko of Lyceum in the last game.

Prince Caperal, a big man with a soft touch around the basket, presents a tough matchup for Almazan. Caperal shot 25 points in the win over the Pirates.

The Bombers will have their hands full stopping Juneric Baloria, the Altas’ leading scorer, who burned St. Benilde with 18 in a 68-64 win last Thursday.