San Sebastian tries to make its way inside the top four but the Stags have to do it minus main man Michael Calisaan in the NCAA Season 93 men’s basketball tournament Thursday.
The Stags take on the Jose Rizal U Bombers with Calisaan serving a one-game suspension in the 4 p.m. match they’re hosting at San Sebastian Gym in Mendiola, Manila.
“The only way we can win without Michael is if we step up as a team—not just one, two or three players,” said San Sebastian coach Egay Macaraya.
Calisaan leads the Stags in scoring and rebounding with averages of 16.5 points—also the fifth best in the league—and nine rebounds.
The do-it-all forward got slapped with an automatic suspension after getting ejected during the Stags’ 75-73 escape over the Emilio Aguinaldo Generals last Friday.
Both the Bombers (4-3) and the Stags (4-4) are bunched in the middle behind idle Lyceum (8-0), San Beda (7-1) and Letran (5-4).
Jose Rizal coach Vergel Meneses hopes his Bombers pounce on the Stags’ disadvantage as visiting teams also hold a winning record in the NCAA on Tour games. —JASMINE W. PAYO