Stags try to stay 2 games clear of Generals

SAN SEBASTIAN shoots for at least a playoff for a Final Four berth today when it tangles with Letran in the 89th NCAA basketball tournament at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

Holding a 9-6 record, the Stags can gain a two-game cushion against the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals in the race for the last Final Four spot, if they beat the Knights in their 6 p.m. duel.

The Knights are also on a mission to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Final Four and a victory over the Stags will propel them to top spot ahead of idle San Beda with just one game remaining.

Jose Rizal U tries to keep its slim Final Four hopes alive against Lyceum in the first game at 4 p.m.

The Bombers, who hold a 6-9 record, are coming off a 62-71 loss to the Stags last Monday. A victory by the Stags in the second game can also shut the door on the Bombers, even if JRU beats Lyceum.

The Pirates played Thursday night but in a bizarre turn of events, their duel against the St. Benilde Blazers was stopped in the third quarter after heavy rains caused leaks at the roof of the Arena.

The Knights drubbed a surprisingly listless Perpetual Help squad, 74-61, Thursday night.

The Stags are actually bracing for two important battles, starting with the Knights tonight. A duel with the Perpetual Help Altas on Oct. 19 could determine the Stags’ Final Four fate.