Lions seek win No. 8 vs Chiefs

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BY ABBY TORALBA

STREAKING San Beda University tries to forge a tie for the lead with Mapua University when it battles struggling Arellano University today in the 99th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan.

The Lions, armed with a four-game streak, closed the first round with a 7-2 mark at No. 2 and should carry the momentum when they face the Chiefs, who are languishing at ninth and second to last with a 1-8 mark, at 2 p.m.

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“We just want to improve every game,” San Beda coach Yuri Escueta said. “When we check the stats, we want to be able to still be a good rebounding team and to be able to shoot better, percentage-wise.”

In terms of rebounding, Fil-Canadian rookie Jomel Puno has been putting in the work, averaging 9.22 in nine games, currently the league’s second best, next only to Emilio Aguinaldo College’s JP Maguliano’s 10.1 caroms.

Puno has been heaven-sent for Escueta and the Lions as the latter has posted three straight double-double efforts in a week where he averaged 13 points and the same number of rebounds.

Escueta also hopes his second group will sustain its solid play for his team to sustain their streak.

“Past three games iyong bench namin has really picked up, hopefully we can continue that in the second round,” he said.

Jose Rizal University tries to come out of a three-way logjam at No. 4 with Emilio Aguinaldo College and College of St. Benilde on 6-4 cards as the former tackles an unpredictable San Sebastian (3-7) at 4 o’clock.

The Bombers are hoping their stinging 96-99 overtime defeat to the Lyceum last Tuesday will be behind them now as they go for a win that they hope would bolster their Final Four aspirations.

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