Generals, Blazers try to boost Final 4 bids

Pumped-up and motivated, Emilio Aguinaldo College squares off with St. Benilde in a crucial duel today as the race for the Final Four heats up in the 89th NCAA basketball tournament at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

Bunched in the middle of the standings, the Generals and Blazers take the floor at 4 p.m. with both teams looking to stay in contention for a Final Four spot after San Sebastian’s loss to San Beda opened up another opportunity for the chasing pack.

Jose Rizal U tries to arrest a five-game slide against a Mapua squad mired in one of its worst seasons in the league in the second game at 6 p.m.

Still in the hunt for a Final Four spot with a 5-8 card, the Bombers are hard-pressed to prevail over the Cardinals to keep their bid alive.

Focus will be on the streaking Generals, who are in their best position to snatch a Final Four spot since joining the league four years ago.

A full game behind the Stags and already done playing against the top three in the second round, the Generals hope to get the job done with four remaining games in their schedule.

“This is our best chance because our fate is in our hands,” said EAC coach Gerry Esplana, whose team is on a two-game roll.

“We have to take it one game at a time. We’re done with the top three teams and we won two out of three. The morale is high and the most important thing is that the players believe they can compete in this tournament.”

The Blazers have not played since suffering their most lopsided loss of the season—a 46-65 rout from the San Beda Lions last Aug. 19. St. Benilde only scored two points in the first period in the loss.

The Cardinals are merely hoping to end the season on a positive note, after a disastrous 1-13 start to the season. Cedelf P. Tupas