MANILA, Philippines—St. Benilde coach Richard del Rosario is hoping San Beda ended up spent after dealing with San Sebastian last week.
The Blazers will be the first team to test the unbeaten Red Lions in the second round of the 86th NCAA basketball tournament Monday at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.
“We’re just hoping that the top team forgot about us,” said Del Rosario, whose squad shares eighth with a 2-6 record. “We’re hoping they got tired playing San Sebastian.”
With Sudan Daniel posting a solid 14-point, 19-rebound effort, the Red Lions repulsed the defending champion Stags, 88-76, to stretch their unbeaten run to eight games.
San Beda coach Frankie Lim expects his squad to surpass its first round performance.
“It’s a brand-new start for us and we just have to keep doing what we did right in the first round and improve some of it,” Lim said.
But Lim refused to get carried away of the talk of a two-round sweep.
“It’s difficult to say because all the teams will be out to beat us,” added Lim, who steered the Lions to titles in 2007 and 2008.
San Sebastian tries to get back on the winning track as it takes on Emilio Aguinaldo College at 2 p.m.
Outplayed by the Lions in all departments, the Stags are hard pressed to regain the form that saw them coast to seven straight wins.
Chief playmaker Pamboy Raymundo is out to bounce back from a so-so outing in the defeat to the Lions.
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