Chiefs try to lock up top spot, face ousted Pirates

Arellano tries to chalk up one more milestone to a banner season as it squares off with Lyceum today in the 90th NCAA basketball tournament even as St. Benilde hopes to gain a playoff for a Final Four berth at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

The Chiefs, who reached the Final Four for the first time this season, shoot for the No. 1 seed in the 4 p.m. clash with the Pirates, who are already out of the title hunt.

Up until this season, the Chiefs have not reached the Final Four since they joined the league in 2009 and rookie coach Jerry Codiñera would love nothing more than a victory to cap their elimination round success.

“We want to enter the Final Four on a winning note,” said Codiñera whose team is exceeding expectation with a 13-4 card going into its last game of the elimination round.

A win by the Chiefs will end a run of eight straight seasons as the Final Four’s top seed by the Lions, whose only hope is an Arellano loss that could force a playoff for No. 1.

The Blazers also have an important task at hand in the 2 p.m. clash with the Letran Knights, who could end St. Benilde’s Final Four hopes with a win.

A win by the Blazers however will set the stage for a playoff with Perpetual Help for the last postseason spot on Friday. Whoever wins the playoff will battle Jose Rizal U on Saturday for the No. 3 seed in the Final Four.

“We can’t afford to look past Letran,” said St. Benilde coach Gabby Velasco after the 87-76 win over shorthanded Mapua last Monday.

The Blazers who hold an 11-6 record have not been in the Final Four since 2002.

The Knights remain a dangerous foe for the Blazers even after losing to Kevin Racal to a knee injury as Letran is coming off a hard earned win over Lyceum.