Bombers eye semis vs Stags

JAYPEE Mendoza of San Beda (right) and Keith Agovida of Arellano fight for the rebound in Saturday’s match won by the Chiefs, 78-76. AUGUST DELA CRUZ

Jose Rizal U shoots for a Final Four berth when it tangles with San Sebastian today in the 90th NCAA basketball tournament even as St. Benilde tries to keep its postseason hopes alive at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

With an 11-6 record, the Heavy Bombers hope to become the third team to reach the semifinals with a win over the Stags at 4 p.m.

Arellano and San Beda have already clinched spots to the Final Four where they will also be armed with a twice-to-beat edge.

The Blazers seek to gain at least a playoff for a Final Four berth against the Mapua Cardinals at 2 p.m.

St. Benilde failed to gain outright entry in the postseason after losing to Perpetual Help, 69-71, last week.

Although the Bombers and Blazers could end up with identical 12-6 records just like the Altas, JRU will still end up as the No. 3 seed due to its superior quotient over the two other teams, leaving St. Benilde and Perpetual Help to dispute the last Final Four spot.

The Bombers beat the Altas twice this season while splitting their games against the Blazers.

But the Bombers’ task of hurdling past the Stags is easier said than done.

San Sebastian was on top for three quarters against Perpetual Help before yielding, 76-92, last Saturday.

“It’s still do or die for us,” said JRU coach Vergel Meneses, whose squad fell in a playoff to Perpetual Help last season. “We can’t rely on other teams. We have to do our job.”

The Bombers are coming off an impressive 75-66 win over the San Beda Red Lions and Meneses expects the same kind of effort from his players to overcome the Stags.

The Blazers are favored to clinch their 12th win against the Cardinals, who had to forfeit their last two games due to lack of players. Mapua is playing for the first time since the Sept. 22 brawl with Emilio Aguinaldo College which led to the suspension of nine Cardinals.