Lions, Chiefs eye to sustain winning ways in NCAA

MANILA, Philippines – San Beda and Arellano U aim to open their second round campaign with a bang with victories over Mapua and San Sebastian, respectively, Wednesday in the 90th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.

Sharing the top spot on identical 7-2 (win-loss) slates after the first round of elimination, the Lions tackle the Cardinals at 2 p.m. while the Chiefs clash with the Stags at 4 p.m. with an eye of staying at the helm.

San Beda parades its league-best defense against a Mapua team, currently at the bottom with a 1-8 slate, that happens to be a polar opposite being the league worst in defense.

The Lions held down their opponents to a league-high 65.1 points while the Cardinals allow foes to a league-worst 82.6 points while owning the league's second worst offense with a norm of 70.8 points an outing, second only to Letran's 70.8.

"From the start, we know defense is our only way to winning another championship and we're sticking to that," said San Beda coach Boyet Fernandez, who could be coaching his last season with the school as he is reported to take over NLEX in the PBA soon.

San Beda is also boosted by the return of Nigerian behemoth Ola Adeogun and Baser Amer escaping a serious injury.

Adeogun was benched in the Lions' 64-53 setback to the Letran Knights a week ago for missing practice days before while the neck injury Amer sustained in that same game was deemed minor and should be ready against the Cardinals.

"I'm okay, it's not that serious. I'm ready for our next game," said Amer, who had to give up his spot in the league's first ever All-Star Game last Saturday to rest his sore neck, in Filipino.

For Arellano U, it is expected to brandish its offensive might against San Sebastian after pacing the league in offense with an average of 82.6 points, the bulk of produced from its nine steals a game, another league-best.

"We just have to keep on doing what we did right in the first round and we'll be okay," said Arellano U coach Jerry Codinera, who is hoping to steer his team to its first ever Final Four stint since entering the league five years ago.