FORMER champion Letran and last season’s bridesmaid Mapua University cross paths today with the same goal–taking solo second.
Which team will achieve this will be known when the Knights tackle the Cardinals at 2:30 p.m. in the 100th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan.
Lyceum faces winless Arellano University in the curtain-raiser at noon.
“Mapua is one of the strongest teams this season so we’ll be ready for the physicality,” Letran coach Allen Ricardo said. “We’ll prepare for (reigning MVP) Clint Escamis so we need to limit him.
“Hindi naman namin talaga totally ma-stop iyan so we’ll just try to limit the scorers of Mapua and you know, baka mayroon kaming chance pagdating sa dulo,” he added.
The Knights will go into the duel on a high, having scored an 86-79 win over the Chiefs three days ago that stoked their record to 2-1.
Ricardo will pin his hopes on hardworking big man Paolo Javillonar, Johnsherick Estrada, and James Miller.
“Somehow, it’s a good start for us but again we still have 15 games, so I am hoping na, you know, makaabot kami sa No. 3 or 4 pero susubukan namin,” Ricardo said. “We will give our very best para makarating doon sa Final 4 but we’ll take it one game at a time. Expected (close games), ‘di ba college basketball? Game of runs. Siguro mas okay na nangyayari itong mga ganitong bagay kasi not all the time, it could be a blowout game.
“So, ‘di ba one sided game, so mas okay ako dito, at least natutulungan ko rin sila paano maging composed, paano ma-handle iyong mga pressure, paano iyong mga ganitong sitwasyon on the offensive end and defensive end and also to me, na-te-test din iyong coaching expertise ko so I’m good with it.”
Mapua downed Perpetual 71-65 last Sunday that also improved its card to 2-1.
Aside from Escamis, Mark Cuenco will also be counted upon by the Cardinals.
After losing their first two tiffs in the new cage wars of the country’s oldest collegiate league, the Pirates battled back and subdued the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers last Sunday.
