CSB, Mapua face foes sans key players

College of St. Benilde and Mapua, two squads involved in a fight-marred game Wednesday, take on different opponents today in the 78th NCAA basketball tournament at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

At the helm with a pristine 3-0 slate, the Blazers face the Letran Knights, bunched with defending champion San Sebastian Stags and the Philippine Christian University Dolphins on 2-1 slates, at 4 p.m. with four of their players under suspension – Paolo Orbeta, Alex Magpayo, Jed Evangelista and Julius Te.

The Cardinals (1-2) likewise play the University of Perpetual Help of Rizal Altas (1-2) at 2 p.m. without key players Jeff Martin, Joeferson Gonzales, Raymund Dula and Nat Cruz.

Martin is serving the first of a three-game suspension assessed on him for punching Orbeta on the head.

Martin, Orbeta, Magpayo and Gonzales were directly involved in the fight-marred game won by St. Benilde, 64-60, while Evangelista, Te, Dula and Cruz were seen in fighting stances in a video tape review.

Riding the crest of a 67-56 thrashing of UPHR, Letran hopes to rely anew on Ronjay Enrile and rookie sensation Jonathan Aldave, who combined for 44 points, as it hopes to capitalize on the absence of four cagers from St. Benilde.

Sunday Salvacion, who was cool as ice in scoring 16 points in CSB’s triumph over Mapua, is expected to carry the load anew with Jan Coching, Jay-jay Sagad, Loreto Tolentino and Ronald Capati expected to provide some relief.

St. Benilde coach Dong Vergaire is trying to figure out how his boys can contain, if not stop, Enrile and Aldave in the absence of his four players.

"We’ve players under suspension so we have to make up for this with defense," said Vergaire. "The key here would be in stopping Enrile and Aldave and if we can do that, we’ve got a big chance against Letran."