San Sebastian has been adequately picking up the pace in the race to the Final Four of the NCAA Season 95 men’s basketball tournament.
But despite moving into the circle of contenders, the Stags are very much aware that a defeat—even to a team with a losing record like the Perpetual Help Altas—could spell a big difference in the end.
“I have to motivate the team to work harder regardless of who we are facing,” said San Sebastian coach Egay Macaraya in Filipino.
A victory over the Altas (3-7) at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan at 12 noon on Tuesday will give the Stags a tie with idle Lyceum in second spot at 8-3.
In other games, Mapua intends to sustain the fire that gutted the Letran Knights when the Cardinals face the Blazers at 2 p.m. before the Jose Rizal Heavy Bombers and the Arellano Chiefs take the floor at 4 p.m.
Just as the Stags are speeding things up for an energetic final push, Most Valuable Player contender Allyn Bulanadi is likewise taking charge of San Sebastian’s offense.
The 6-foot-3 wingman, running third overall in the MVP race, has been tallying handsome figures capped by a career-high 32 points in an 83-67 thrashing of College of St. Benilde to open their second-round campaign.
But San Sebastian isn’t all about Bulanadi. Court general RK Ilagan is superb at the backcourt while forwards Alvin Capobres and JM Calma have been consistently contributing at the frontline as well.
Perpetual big man Ben Adamos and spitfire Edgar Charcos have to concoct something with the rest of the Altas to prevent them from spiraling further.
Noah Lugo, Paolo Hernandez, Cyril Gonzales and Justin Serrano are just some of the weapons that the Cardinals (4-6) will throw on the Blazers, who have lost four of their last five games and fell to 6-4.
Running fifth, St. Benilde couldn’t sustain a hot start and must win games in a string again to keep pace with the leaders heading into its final eight games of the elimination round.