REIGNING “five-peat” champion San Beda seeks a share of the lead with Letran as it clashes with an unpredictable San Sebastian College crew on Thursday in the 91st National Collegiate Athletic Association seniors basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.
The Red Lions are gunning for their fifth straight win and seventh overall against the Stags in the 4 p.m. encounter that would catapult them to a share of the lead with the Knights, who fell to 7-1 (win-loss) after a painful 69-83 defeat to the Emilio Aguinaldo Generals on Friday.
San Beda has racked up four straight wins after absorbing a stinging 80-93 defeat to Letran on July 16 to move back to solo second behind its conqueror.
In the other match at 2 p.m., Emilio Aguinaldo College and Lyceum of the Philippines University collide, each hoping to breathe life to their flickering Final Four hopes.
The Generals fell to the Perpetual Help Altas, 55-68, that took the starch out of their shock win over the Knights.
“That Letran loss was a learning experience for us. We just try to come out aggressive each game after that loss,” San Beda Coach Jamike Jarin said.
Pro-bound Art de la Cruz has been carrying the Red Lions in their four victories where he averaged 21.86 points, 13 rebounds, 6.14 assists and 1.57 steals to also lead the Most Valuable Player (MVP) statistical race.
Interestingly, de la Cruz clashes with a young Michael Calisaan, who unleashed a career 35-point performance in a 77-70 win over Lyceum that powered San Sebastian to its second win against six losses.
Calisaan, a cousin of former league MVP Ian Sangalang, will be the toughest matchup de la Cruz is facing since the two played the same position.
“I’m looking forward to it,” Calisaan said.