St. Benilde seeks third win
COLLEGE of Saint Benilde seeks to extend its perfect run to three games as it faces University of Perpetual Help System Dalta in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
Surviving the unpredictable first week of the competition where all of the previous season’s Final Four teams struggled, the Blazers are bracing for a tough battle with the Altas at 12 noon.
Lyceum of the Philippines University, which surprised everyone by winning two of its first three games, plays winless Emilio Aguinaldo College to cap another doubleheader at 3 p.m.
One of the preseason favorites, CSB became the remaining undefeated team in the tournament, having beaten LPU and San Sebastian in succession.
Rookie transferee Migs Oczon waxed hot in the Blazers’ 100-94 victory over the Stags last Friday, dropping 20 of his 25 points in the pivotal third quarter, while Will Gozum continued his consistent play.
Currently tied with defending two-time champion Letran at 1-1 in fifth spot, Perpetual hopes to rebound from last Friday’s 59-61 loss to Arellano University.
Graduating forward Kim Aurin posted a new career-high of 27 points, but the Altas got minimal production from their main guns Rey Barcuma and Jielo Razon, who both scored only three points against the Chiefs.
With a mix of veterans in Enoch Valdez and Renzo Navarro and rising stars in Gyle Montaño, Shawn Umali, John Barba and Mac Guadaña, the Pirates, who are tied with the Stags at 2-1 in third place, are looking good in their bid for redemption after they failed to make it past the eliminations last season.
LPU toppled one Final Four contender after another, sending San Beda to its second loss at this point of the tournament with a 89-81 victory last Saturday, and downed last season’s finalist Mapua, 76-67, earlier in the week.
The Pirates are tipped to prevail over the Generals, who have yet to broke into the three column in the first three games.
EAC hopes to bring back its competitive form after being blown out of the court with an average losing margin of 26 points in the last two contests.
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