Blazers go for solo lead, try to steer past Pirates

Games Friday

(Filoil EcoOil Arena)

12 p.m. - LPU vs CSB

2:30 p.m. - EAC vs JRU

MANILA, Philippines — With an eye at avoiding defending champion San Beda in the Final Four at all cost, College of St. Benilde will go all out to hurdle Lyceum of the Philippines University Friday and claim that No. 1 seed in NCAA Season 100 at the Filoil EcoOil Arena.

The Blazers currently share the top spot with the Mapua Cardinals on 14-3 slates, but the former would seal No. 1 with a win over the Pirates in their 12-noon match up even if they eventually end up tied again after the elimination round due to a higher quotient.

Mapua clashes upset-conscious Arellano University Saturday at the Cuneta Astrodome in the final play date of the eliminations.

If CSB succeeds, it will battle either LPU (9-8) or Emilio Aguinaldo College (8-9) in the semis next week at the Cuneta Astrodome.

And, of course, the No. 2 Mapua would eventually battle San Beda, which will be a dangerous team in the stage of that magnitude.

“I told them, ‘if you want to play San Beda in the semis, it’s fine with me. But you guys decide who you want to play,’” said CSB coach Charles Tiu.

“But for me, we want to compete every game, we want to improve every game,” he added.

But LPU is doing everything it can to snatch that win too as if it does so, it will claim the last Final Four ticket outright.

Mercifully, the Pirates could afford to lose that one as the least that could happen is a playoff for that last semis berth against EAC assuming the latter hurdles Jose Rizal University at 2:30 p.m. also Friday.