Lions gun for sixth win vs Blazers

Games today:12 noon – San Beda vs St. Benilde (Jrs/Srs)

4 p.m. – Mapua vs San Sebastian (Srs/Jrs)

MANILA, Philippines - San Beda guns for its sixth straight win against a resurgent St. Benilde side even as San Sebastian seeks a share of third against winless Mapua in the 90th NCAA men’s basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan today.

Brandishing their vaunted defense, the Red Lions blasted the Emilio Aguinaldo Generals, 81-55, last week to remain the lone unbeaten squad in the 10-team field but expect to face a strong challenge from the Blazers, who snapped a three-game skid with back-to-back victories.

Gametime is at 2 p.m.

“If we continue to play tough defense, we will have no problems,” said San Beda’s main man 6-8 Ola Adeogun.

The Lions have limited their rivals to an average of 61.6 points per game and the reigning four-peat champions hope to do the same against the Blazers, who are coming off the 79-72 victory over the Mapua Cardinals last Friday.

San Beda’s defense will surely focus on the troika of Mark Romero, Jonathan Grey and Juan Paolo Taha, who have stepped up the last two games to help lift St. Benilde to seventh place after a 0-3 start in the double-round elims.

Romero, the Blazers’ captain, is coming off a career-high 26-point effort the last time out while Grey scored 17 markers against the Cardinals. Taha, on the other hand, has been norming 11.4 points.

“They are three of the players we should watch out for,” said San Beda coach Boyet Fernandez.

Meanwhile, San Sebastian, tied at No. 4 with Perpetual Help, try to nail its fourth win against two losses when it tackles Mapua, winless in six starts, at 4 p.m.