12 p.m. – Arellano U vs Mapua (jrs/srs)
4 p.m. – Jose Rizal vs Lyceum (srs/jrs)
MANILA, Philippines – Arellano U seeks to get back on track after falling to four-peat titlist San Beda as it faces off with Mapua even as Jose Rizal and Lyceum try to keep their place in the upper half of the standings as the two tackle each other Friday in the 90th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.
The Chiefs absorbed a 90-81 beating at the hands of the Lions last Saturday and a win in their 2 p.m. showdown with the Cardinals, losers of three straight games, will send the former at third spot alongside the San Sebastian Stags (3-1).
San Beda, seeking a fifth straight championship and eighth in the last nine seasons, leads the way with a pristine 4-0 (win-loss) record followed by Perpetual Help being the only other unbeaten squad with a 3-0 slate.
Arellano U coach Jerry Codinera said they need to defend the wings well and turn the ball less for his team to have a chance of getting back on track.
In their loss to the Lions, the Chiefs allowed their foes to bury them with nine booming triples while committing 23 turnovers that resulted to 21 points by the former.
"We can't allow the opposing team to make those three-pointers and us to commit that many turnovers and hope for the win. Hopefully, our loss to San Beda will help us learn," said Codinera.
Jose Rizal and Lyceum, both possessing identical 2-2 cards, for their part, seek to part ways at fifth spot as the two tangle at 4 p.m.
The Bombers pulled the rug from under the Letran Knights, last year's losing finalists, with a 69-60 win to nail their second win a row after dropping their first two games while the Pirates survived the Cardinals, 80-78, to post their second win in as many defeats.