Chiefs, Knights seal playoff for 4th berth

Games tomorrow

12 nn. – LPU vs SBC (jrs)

2 p.m. – LPU vs SBC (srs)

4 p.m. – SSC-R vs UPHSD (srs)

6 p.m. – SSC-R vs UPHSD (jrs)

MANILA, Philippines — Arellano University and Letran came away with victories over their respective rivals in contrasting fashions to secure a playoff for the last Final Four berth in the NCAA seniors basketball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Center in San Juan.

The Chiefs continued to buck the absence of top gun Kent Salado as they overpowered the Mapua Cardinals, 81-64, while the Knights survived the St. Benilde Blazers, 66-60, as they closed out their elims campaigns with 9-9 cards.

That kept them tied at fourth with San Sebastian hoping to make it a three-team playoff for the last semis seat with a victory over ousted Perpetual Help tomorrow.

The Stags, however, hold the highest quotient among the three with 30 points while the Knights and the Chiefs tote -9 and -21 points.

An SSC win over Perpetual will set up the first playoff duel between Letran and Arellano on Friday with the winner battling the Stags for the last Final Four seat on Tuesday.

Diminutive Levi dela Cruz came up big with 20 points he spiked with five assists, three rebounds and two steals as he more than made up for the absence of Salado, out of the season with an MCL (medial collateral ligament) injury.

“He’s the smallest but has a big fighting heart,” said AU coach Jerry Codiñera of the 5-6 Dela Cruz, who fired eight points to key the Chiefs’ fiery windup.

The Knights, for their part, banked on the Rey Nambatac, who poured in six of his game-high 18 points in the final period to help keep them in the hunt.

The Blazers wound up with a 4-14 slate.

Earlier, Emilio Aguinaldo edged Perpetual, 83-81, for a 7-11 mark.

The Altas fell to 4-13.

The scores:

First Game

EAC 83 – Garcia 22, J. Mendoza 17, Onwubere 15, Bugarin 12, Bautista 6, Diego 6, Neri 3, Tampoc 2, Corilla 0, I. Mendoza 0.

Perpetual Help 81 – Eze 21, Ylagan 17, Yuhico 13, Coronel 10, Dagangon 7, Lucente 4, Pido 4, Tamayo 3, Sadiwa 2.

Quarterscores: 25-19, 37-39, 64-59, 83-81

Second Game

Arellano U 81 – Dela Cruz 20, Flores 14, Nicholls 11, Alcoriza 8, Cañete 6, Enriquez 6, Viloria 5, Meca 4, Taywan 4, Abanes 3, Concepcion 0, Ongolo Ongolo 0, Padilla 0, Filart 0.

Mapua 64 – Buñag 22, Pelayo 9, Victoria 8, Gabo 7, Estrella 6, Orquina 5, Raflores 4, Jimenez 3, Aguirre 0.

Quarterscores: 17-13, 39-28, 58-48, 81-64

Third Game

Letran 66 – Nambatac 18, Calvo 16, Balanza 13, Ambohot 10, Quinto 7, Balagasay 2, Bernabe 0, Caralipio 0, Gedaria 0, Mandreza 0, Pamulaklakin 0, Taladua 0, Vacaro 0.

St. Benilde 60 – Leutcheu 18, Pili 16, Sta. Maria 6, Castor 4, Dixon 4, Mercado 4, Domingo 3, San Juan 3, Velasco 2, Johnson 0, Naboa 0, Suarez 0, Young 0.

Quartercores: 20-11, 28-28, 48-43, 66-60