NCAA: Knights face Chiefs

MANILA — A resurgent Letran squad shoots for a piece of the lead when the Knights collide with the Arellano Chiefs today in the 87th NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the FilOil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

The Knights have come out strong after missing out on the Final Four last season and the 2 p.m. duel against the Chiefs will provide another stern test for the 16-time champions.

Lyceum and Emilio Aguinaldo College look to recover from initial setbacks when they tangle in the second game at 4 p.m.

The Pirates have made a good impression in their first three games, winning over Perpetual Help and St. Benilde, before putting up a tough yet futile stand against defending champion San Beda, which built enough cushion to hold off Lyceum in the second half.

With a 1-1 record, the Generals hope to get back on track after a lackluster effort in the 76-60 loss to Jose Rizal U last Wednesday.

The Generals, struggling to make inroads because of the Bombers’ pressure defense, were left ruing their missed opportunities after committing a season-high 32 turnovers and shooting just 31 percent from the field.

Defense has been keying the Knights surge, which has also been aided by inspired performances by VJ Espiritu and Kevin Alas.

They have held their first two opponents to an average of 53 points. Their best defensive performance came last week against the listless Perpetual Help Altas, who were limited to just 43 points in a 31-point beating.