Red Lions, Altas eye share of 2nd place

San Beda and Perpetual Help try to join three others at second place as they take on separate rivals today in the 79th NCAA basketball tournament at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Tied at fifth spot with 2-2 slates, the Red Lions battle the St. Benilde Blazers at 4 p.m. while the Altas face the Philippine Christian University Dolphins at 2, both hoping to keep abreast of reigning titlist San Sebastian, Mapua and Letran.

San Beda is aiming for a fitting follow-up to its 92-76 rout of UPHR last week while the latter is itching to end a two-game skid that started from a close 59-61 overtime setback to Mapua last July 7.

The Lions are expected to lean anew on the troika of Arjun Cordero, Jerome Paterno and Mark Apepe, who combined for 54 points in their team’s recent triumph.

But San Beda coach Jonathan Reyes thinks its defense that would spell the difference. "We have talented individual players but I think its defense that would decide the game."

Against the Blazers, the Lions are heavily favored.

In four games, St. Benilde has lost all of it with an average margin of 3.25 points mainly because it relied heavily on the frontline duo of Al Magpayo and Ronald Capati, who just could not do it all.

CSB mentor Tonichi Yturri put it simply: We have to get some production from my other players, we can’t just rely on Al and Ron all the time."

This means Paolo Orbeta, Unik Reyes, Titus Mendoza, Juan Luis Abad, Gilbert Sanidad, Gilbert Good and Kris Robles must step up and ease the workload off Magpayo and Capati.