Lions, Dolphins go for clinchers

Top seed San Beda and last year’s losing finalist Philippine Christian U try to arrange a showdown for this year’s NCAA men’s basketball crown as they take on Mapua and defending champion Letran, respectively, in today’s Final Four at the Araneta Coliseum.

With twice-to-beat advantages, the Red Lions and the Dolphins hope to wrap it all up right in their first game against the Cardinals and the Knights and head into the best-of-three championship series.

San Beda, seeing an end to a 28-year-old title drought on a team built around Nigerian Samuel Ekwe, Yousif Aljamal, Alex Angeles and rookie Pong Escoba, faces Mapua at 2 p.m. while PCU and Letran clash at 4 p.m.

Defending junior’s champion San Sebastian Staglets meet the San Beda Red Cubs at 12 noon, while the PCU Baby Dolphins battle the Jose Rizal U Light Bombers at 6 p.m.

The Lions, who topped the elims with an imposing 13-1 (win-loss) record, are raring to barge into the championship round for the first time after losing to the SSC Stags in 1997 and capture their first title since 1978.

But they will be up against a determined Cardinals side out to prove their worth and revive their hopes for a first NCAA crown since scoring back-to-back title romps from 1991.

"San Beda is a very tough team to beat. They’re very talented team, very deep. We made several adjustments which we hope would be enough to contain their big men particularly (Sam) Ekwe," said Mapua coach Horacio Lim.

The Cardinals are expected to pin their hopes on last year’s top rookie Kelvin dela Pena, veteran forward Jeofferson Gonzales, big men Neil Pascual and Jerby del Rosario, and guards Raymund Tiongco and Sean Co.

Meanwhile, the Dolphins are eyeing a third straight final appearance, winning the crown in 2004 before losing to the Knights last year after taking the series’ opener.

PCU and Letran split their two games in the elimination and finished with similar 10-4 cards that forced a playoff for the No. 2 spot. The Dolphins beat the Knights, 67-62, last Friday to claim the twice-to-beat incentive.

"It’s a one game season. Our backs are against the wall but we’re still positive. We had minor adjustments. It’s a mind game, we can disregard the statistics but it’s a battle of will power," said Letran coach Louie Alas.