Tigers try to bolster quarterfinal bid

MANILA—University of Santo Tomas seeks to strengthen its quarterfinal bid today when it takes on Arellano U in the FilOil-Flying V Hanes Preseason Premiere Cup.

With a 3-2 record, the Tigers can move up to third in their bracket with a victory over the already-eliminated Chiefs at 4 p.m. at the FilOil-Flying V Arena  in San Juan.

“Our game is picking up,” said UST coach Pido Jarencio in Filipino. “We want to continue playing this way, but we have to be careful not to play too hard so when the UAAP season comes, we will play even better.”

University of the Philippines faces St. Benilde at 2:15 p.m. with the Maroons also looking to gain more  than a quarterfinal spot in group B.

The Fighting Maroons are hoping to sustain a two-game winning run and stay third in their group paced by Far Eastern U, which owns a 7-0 record.

Alinko Mbah’s desperation shot at the buzzer lifted the Maroons to a 78-76 win over University of the East.

UST looks to ride on its impressive 65-55 victory over Lyceum the last tme out in the tournament backed by Filoil, Flying V, Gerry’s Grill, BDO, Oxycan, Bayo and Molten.