SSC, JRU clash for finals berth

MANILA, Philippines - San Sebastian College and Jose Rizal University dispute the other championship berth today in the last of two playoffs in the stepladder semifinal phase of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan.

The winner in the 2 p.m. match will face outright finalist San Beda College in a best-of-five affair where the Lions hold a 1-0 edge.

That’s their prize for sweeping the double-round robin elims with the other finalist facing a gargantuan task of beating the Red Lions three times to snatch the crown.

The Stags, the No. 2 team after the elims, expect a highly physical duel with the Heavy Bombers, who knocked the Mapua Cardinals off the finals race with a scary 60-54 victory last Wednesday.

“We’re a little bit rested while they have to scrape their way to victory. But it wouldn’t matter in this kind of atmosphere where the stakes are high,” said San Sebastian coach Ato Agustin.

JRU will pin its hopes again on Cameroonian Joe Etame, who fired a career high 17 points against Mapua while taking charge in the fourth with 10 points.

The 6-7 Etame, one of the two Africans playing for the Bombers, the other one being John Njei, also drew support from veteran Marvin Hayes, who scored six of his eight points in the crucial stretch to help power Jose Rizal to the victory.

“I hope he comes up with a game like that again against San Sebastian, we would dearly need it,” said Jose Rizal mentor Vergel Meneses.

San Sebastian is expected to rely anew on MVP derby leader Calvin Abueva although the ailing Ronald Pascual, the team’s second-leading scorer, remains a doubtful starter again after missing four straight games.