Chiefs tries to outlast Blazers; Cardinals guns for 7th win up against the Generals

Mapua tries to strengthen its grip of the fourth spot as it guns for a victory over a struggling Emilio Aguinaldo today in the 86th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.
The Cardinals came back from a double-digit deficit to pull the rug from the Letran Knights, 63-60, last Aug. 25 to notch its sixth win against four losses and gain a full, two-game lead over the Arellano Chiefs, who are at fifth with a 4-6 (win-loss) record.

The Muralla-based cagers hope to follow it up with another win against the Generals, who are one loss away from elimination with a 2-9 slate, in their 4 p.m. duel.

Mapua coach Chito Victolero, whose charges won over the Nomar Isla-mentored EAC side, 82-68, in their first meeting last Aug. 2, cautioned his boys to play tough from start to finish.

"We can't afford to start that bad again, we need to play aggressive from start to finish," said Victolero.

There are many teams though cheering and wishing for an EAC win, chief among them were the Chiefs and the St. Benilde Blazers, who take on each other at 2 p.m.

Arellano U is the closest to Mapua having a 4-6 mark while CSB could still catch the last Final Four bus with a 3-8 slate.

The Blazers hope to ride the crest of their 83-64 bashing of the Generals Monday while seeking a repeat of their 70-64 triumph over the Chiefs in their first round meeting last July 5.

For coaches Leo Isaac of Arellano and Richard del Rosario of CSB, they're treating their game as a virtual do-or-die.

This would make our or break our Final Four bid," said Isaac, who coached Mapua two years ago, left to coach Barako Bull in the PBA before jumping to Arellano U this season.

"This would be crucial for both teams so expect us to go all out for a win," del Rosario said.