“I always point out to my players that we can never win games by stopping their man one-on-one,” said San Beda coach Boyet Fernandez as his Lions gun for win No. 15 in Season 95 of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at FilOil Flying V Centre.
“As always, it has to be a total team effort (defensively).”
Tip-off is at 2 p.m. with the Lions looking to move closer to sweeping the elimination round and qualify to the title series outright, even as the Knights shoot to spoil that while enhancing their chances for a top two finish.
Second-running Lyceum, meanwhile, clashes with Mapua in the 4 p.m. contest, with the Pirates gunning for their 11th win in 14 matches for a firmer grip of No. 2.
Tail-enders Emilio Aguinaldo and Perpetual Help tangle in the 12 noon contest with both playing for nothing but prestige.
Donald Tankoua and Calvin Oftana sparkled for the Lions the last time out and will again be San Beda’s 1-2 punch against the Knights, whom they have a bitter rivalry with dating back to the early years of the league.
San Beda barely survived Letran in the first round, scoring a 70-66 victory despite making only eight points in the fourth period on Aug. 10.
With a 9-5 record, the Knights have one of the most solid cores in the tournament in Jerrick Balanza, Fran Yu and Bonbon Batiller.
Lyceum will come into its collision with Mapua as the slight favorite with coach Topex Robinson having an array of dependable players led by Jaycee Marcelino, Reymar Caduyac and Mike Harry Nzeusseu.
“I told them that we have to be infinite players. It’s always about how we play as a team,” said Robinson. “We don’t look at the standings, we just look at how we can improve.”
It should be more than just playing as a team against the streaking Cardinals, who are now an entirely different animal compared to the one that the Pirates poached in the first round.
With NCAA junior back-to-back champion coach Randy Alcantara bringing the winning culture to the senior ranks, the Cardinals have suddenly become contenders for a Final Four slot after winning seven of their last eight games.
Gifted with a bevy of tenacious guards such as Noah Lugo, Paolo Hernandez and Cyril Gonzales, the Cardinals have now tied the erratic San Sebastian Stags in fifth (7-6).