MANILA, Philippines - San Beda vows to play doubly hard after barely escaping with a win the last time out as it collides with unpredictable Emilio Aguinaldo College at resumption of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan today.
The defending champion Lions flirted with disaster before thwarting the St. Benilde Blazers, 79-78, last Friday to remain unbeaten in four games. Another win in their 2 p.m. encounter with the Generals will keep them in step with the pacesetting San Sebastian Stags.
“We’ve learned our mistakes from our last game so we’re playing harder and more aggressive now,” said SBC coach Frankie Lim.
EAC, in fifth place with a 2-2 card, is coming off a 63-80 blowout to Mapua (1-4) but the Generals are expected to play a notch higher with big man Claude Cubo back in harness after a one-game suspension.
Cubo was sacked for an infraction in the Generals’ 84-74 win over the Arellano U Chiefs last July 20.
Perpetual Help, meanwhile, tries to come up with a follow-up to its stunning 79-77 triple overtime win over Jose Rizal U last week.
George Allen scored the marginal baskets for the Altas, who thus snapped their four-game skid.
Allen wasn’t even supposed to see action as he was still recovering from an ankle injury he suffered in their first game against San Beda.
Perpetual Help coach Jimwell Gican relented and gave Allen the green light to play and the former Philippine Christian U transferee responded with that gem of a defensive stop and a buzzer-beater.