Blazers, Altas collide for no-bearing match; Red Lions to extend winning ways over Chiefs

White-hot San Beda seeks to preserve its unblemished slate while Arellano hopes to resuscitate its dying Final Four bid as the two collide today in the 86th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.

The Lions are on a rampage as they are riding the crest of a 12-game streak capped by a 90-78 trampling of the Mapua Cardinals last Sept. 8 that pushed the former three-peat champions four games away from a historic elimination round sweep.

If it happens, a sweep would catapult San Beda straight to the finals where it would await its foe, which will need to undergo the rigidity of the stepladder semis, in a best-of-three setup.

But San Beda coach Frankie Lim was quick to say a sweep isn’t what they’re thinking of right now.

“We’re not even imagining it. Our goal is to win as many games as we can and get enough momentum going into the playoffs,” said Lim.

San Beda would be facing off with an Arellano U team in their 4 p.m. duel seeking no less than to stay alive in the race for the fourth and last spot to the Final Four.

The Chiefs (4- are one of the three remaining teams left with a legitimate chance of snaring the final semis seat if they could sweep their last four outings including this one over the Lions and hope the Cardinals drop their last three assignments.

Arellano U coach Leo Isaac said though he’s now thinking of the future. “I’m now investing for the future, we’ll just try to be competitive and if we could pull off an upset, why not,” he said.

In the other game, Perpetual Help and St. Benilde, already out of it all with 0-13 and 4-10 records, respectively, clash at 2 p.m. in a non-bearing contest.