NCAA preview: Cardinals Ready To Sneak Into Top 4

Defending champion San Sebastian, powerhouse San Beda and up and coming Jose Rizal University.

The top three placing in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) of the Philippines appeared to be locked for these teams.

Now the guessing game begins at No.4.

There's the rising Perpetual Help, probationary squad Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) and dangerous Mapua.

Of the three, the Cardinals are considered by many as having the potential to again barge into the semifinals.

From a sixth-place finish last year, the Intramuros-based cagers are determined to make it to the Final Four this season and signs are very encouraging for them.

Jonathan Banal, one of the second-generation players in the collegiate ranks, will be back to provide spark for the Cardinals.

Banal, son of B-Meg Derby Ace assistant coach Koy Banal, got injured in last season's elimination round. His return will certainly give the Cardinals the much-needed boost in their hope to return to the semifinal round of the country's oldest collegiate league which opens 26 at the Araneta Coliseum.

"Our backcourt has become more formidable now with the return of Jonathan. Before, only Allan (Mangahas) is the reliable backcourt man. The good thing about Jonathan's return, I can field him in alongside Allan," said second-year coach Chito Victolero, himself a former Cardinal.

Aside from Banal and Mangahas, other players who are expected to lead Mapua's campaign this season are veterans TG Guillermo, Mark Acosta and Jason Pascual.

Victolero, a former PBA and MBA stalwart, is convinced that his squad will do better than the previous season.

He takes the hint from the team's solid campaign in the FilOil Flying V Preseason Tournament where they reached the quarterfinal round and the 16th Fr. Martin's Summer Cup where they finished runner-up up to two-time defending UAAP champion Ateneo.

"Actually we've been sacrificing a lot. It's a positive sign for the team. We were able to establish maturity among players," said Victolero.

Victolero said that his team also developed consistency, which is one of their problems last year.

For Victolero, his main focus now is building the team's character.

"That's our main objective. We want to strengthen the character of the team," he said. "I'm happy because they're developing that good attitude. We're more aggressive now and we're more determined to elevate our game to a higher level." -