WATCH LIVE
Games Tuesday
(La Salle Green Hills Gym)
12 noon – CSB Blazers vs Mapua Cardinals
3 p.m. – JRU Heavy Bombers vs San Sebastian Stags
The De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Blazers and the Mapua University Cardinals will look to boost their Final Four aspirations when the two teams collide in the NCAA Season 97 men’s basketball tournament at the La Salle Green Hills Gym on Tuesday.
The two squads are tied for third place with four wins and two losses apiece, trailing only the undefeated Colegio de San Juan de Letran Knights (5-0) and San Beda University Red Lions (5-0) in the standings.
This season’s format will see the top two seeds after the single-round eliminations qualify for the Final Four outright while teams ranked third through sixth will participate in the play-in tournament to contest the other spots.
CSB was riding high on a four-game winning streak that came to a surprising end in an upset loss to the JRU Heavy Bombers, 74-68, last Tuesday.
Will Gozum has been on a roll this season, averaging 14 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. In the loss to JRU, he tallied 17 points, 10 boards, and five blocks in just 22:05 of playing time before missing the fourth quarter with a foot injury.
He is expected to suit up, however, against a Mapua side that is preparing to take him and the rest of the Blazers on. To match up against Gozum, the Cardinals will lean on their own reliable big man, Warren Bonifacio, who has norms of 10.8 points and 10.2 rebounds per game in Season 97.
“Hindi lang si Will ang paghahandaan namin, pati ang whole team ng CSB," said Mapua coach Randy Alcantara, whose team started the season with three straight wins to become one of the early surprises.
They suffered back-to-back losses, however, before getting back with a 95-83 victory over University of Perpetual Help System DALTA last Wednesday.
In the other game, San Sebastian and JRU will clash at 3 p.m.
The Stags (2-4) are ahead in the win-loss table but will be coming off a tough 63-60 loss to the EAC Generals in their previous outing. San Sebastian is currently tied for sixth to eighth places, with a win solidifying their place in the play-in race.
The Heavy Bombers (1-5), meanwhile, will look to build some momentum after notching their first victory of the season in their upset of the Blazers.
—JMB, GMA News
