Games today:
12 p.m. - San Beda vs CSB
3 p.m. - Arellano vs Perpetual
Only two Final Four slots are up for grabs but four teams will look to catch the semifinal bus when the NCAA Season 97 men's basketball tournament play-in round kicks off on Sunday at the FilOil Flying V Centre.
San Beda University, still reeling from a heartbreaking loss to rival Colegio de San Juan de Letran, will tangle with De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde in their 12 p.m. collision with the winner winding up as the third seed.
Arellano University and University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, meanwhile, will clash in a do-or-die game slated for 3 p.m. with the loser facing the end of the road.
San Beda head coach Boyet Fernandez said that with how their last game against the Blazers turned out, they shouldn't be complacent as CSB will try to do everything to get some sort of revenge.
The Red Lions nearly fell to the Blazers last Tuesday, escaping in a 67-63 squeaker with James Kwekuteye and rookie Jacob Cortez leading the way. Fernandez, though, does not want the same thing to happen when they face the Blazers anew, especially with a Final Four spot at stake.
"I have so much respect for coach Charles (Tiu) and I know they'll be ready, muntik pa nga kami matalo nung last time," said Fernandez following a 59-56 loss to Letran on Friday.
"Hopefully, we can lick our wounds tonight and concentrate for practice tomorrow and be ready for Saint Benilde."
While the loser of the Red Lions-Blazers clash, gets another chance to clinch a Final Four spot, it's a different scenario for Arellano and Perpetual.
The winner of between the Chiefs and Altas will play the loser of the first game for the fourth and final place in the semis. The loser, meanwhile, will get knocked out of this year's tournament.
Arellano and Perpetual are both coming off close games to wrap up their respective elimination round campaigns with the wards of Cholo Martin pulling off a tight 65-62 victory over Jose Rizal University.
Perpetual, meanwhile, has recently sent Emilio Aguinaldo College packing with a 63-60 decision and head coach Myk Saguiguit said their focus moving forward will be mainly on Arellano big man Justin Arana who has been putting on solid numbers for the Chiefs.
"'Yung play-in picture, tinignan na namin 'yan eh tapos tinatanong namin sa sarili namin kung sino yung pinakamahirap na makakaharap namin so talagang lumabas 'yung pangalan ng Arellano," said Saguiguit.
"Kumpleto sila, may wingman, may shooters, and then yung mga numbers na binibigay ng Justin Arana. So talagang buhos talaga. It’s going to be a big work. Napakalaking trabaho."
—JMB, GMA News
