Surprise early contenders Lyceum of the Philippines University and Jose Rizal University will cross paths on Friday in NCAA Season 98 action while two other teams will look to grab their fifth win.
Game time is at 3 p.m. with Lyceum and JRU hoping to extend their respective winning streaks and move up the ladder with only a few games left in the first round. Before that must-see clash, San Beda University and Arellano University will first square off in bid to cruise to their fifth win at 12 p.m.
Lyceum and JRU are two of the hottest teams in the league right now with impressive win streaks.
The Pirates are currently riding a five-game streak, four of those coming at the expense of last season's Final Four cast in defending champion Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Mapua University, San Beda, and University of Perpetual Help System DALTA.
But head coach Gilbert Malabanan warned his wards not to let their guards down against the Heavy Bombers, who are also eager to stretch their own four-game winning run after a 0-2 start.
The Heavy Bombers are coming off a morale-boosting win over the Red Lions last Tuesday with Agem Miranda and John Amores showing the way as JRU beat San Beda for the first time since September 2016.
"I'll give credit to coach Louie Gonzalez. JRU is a very strong team now and it's a matter of the system na lang eh. It's a matter of the game plan lang," Malabanan said.
"Siguro we're gonna watch our games and then after that, doon kami mag-a-adjust. It's a matter of kung sino ang gustong manalo, 'yun ang mananalo."
Before the marquee game, though, it will be the turn of San Beda (4-2) and Arellano (4-3) to take on each other for a shot at their fifth win in Season 98.
The Red Lions are looking to bounce back from a tough loss to JRU, where they nearly erased a 20-point deficit before falling short. Arellano, on the other hand, is fresh from a 64-59 escape of Mapua last weekend and the Chiefs are out to make it back-to-back wins today.
—JMB, GMA News
