NCAA: Arellano eyes tie for 4th vs Letran

  MANILA, Philippines—Arellano seeks a tie for fourth when it battles Letran today in the 86th NCAA basketball tournament at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.   Carrying a 5-4 record, the Chiefs hope to catch up with the  Mapua Cardinals in going for a repeat victory over the Knights in their 4 p.m. showdown.   The game is just as crucial for the Knights, who are on the brink of a losing season with just three wins to show in 10 games.   Now outsiders to challenge for a Final Four spot, Emilio Aguinaldo College and St. Benilde collide in the first game at 2 p.m.   The Blazers and the Generals both own 2-8 records and are coming off one-sided losses to defending champion San Sebastian and San Beda, respectively, last Friday.   St. Benilde prevailed in its first round meeting with EAC, 77-65, making the Blazers, who have been getting big games from rookie Carlo Lastimosa, slight favorites in their duel.    The Chiefs barely slipped past the Knights, 77-76, in their first round meeting early this month.   Jerald Lapuz emerged as the unlikely hero for the Chiefs, finishing with a career-high 29 points and 10 boards.   But Arellano will come into the game shorthanded following the one-game ban on Vergel Zulueta and the two-game suspension on Erwin Catapang for their role in the postgame melee in the victory over Mapua.   Zulueta has been a key contributor off the bench for the Chiefs, averaging nearly 10 points and three boards.   The Knights are still reeling from a 60-63 loss  to the Cardinals in a game where they led by 14 in the final three minutes.   Stopping Lastimosa, who is coming off a 26-point effort against San Sebastian, will be foremost on the Generals’ gameplan.