MANILA, Philippines - San Beda and Arellano U try to seal a showdown for this year’s NCAA men’s basketball crown as they gun for clinchers against Perpetual Help and Mapua, respectively, in today’s Final Four at the MOA Arena in Pasay.
The Lions and the Chiefs need only to prevail once to advance to the finals owing to the twice-to-beat incentives they gained for clinching the top two spots after the double-round elims.
“This is good because you want to go to the (title) playoffs with a win and the momentum,” said San Beda coach Jamike Jarin, who steered the Lions past the Chiefs, 80-73, in their playoff for the No. 1 spot last Tuesday.
San Beda, which plays the No. 4 Perpetual Help at 2 p.m., is also eyeing its 11th straight finals appearance.
The Chiefs, on the other hand, tangle with reigning MVP Allwell Oraeme and the No. 3 Cardinals at 4 p.m., seeking no less than a return trip to the best-of-three championship after losing to the Lions in two in 2014.
Game Three, if necessary, will be played next Tuesday, also at MOA.
San Beda is slightly picked over Perpetual Help, which it swept in this year’s elims and beat in the Final Four three straight times from 2012 to 2014.
But the Lions could be in a tougher challenge with Nigerian Bright Akhuetie back in the rotation after a team-imposed suspension at the end of the elims.
“I’m focusing on playing and leaving everything behind now,” said the 19-year-old Akhuetie, who norms 18 .4 points (third best in the league), 12.3 rebounds (fourth) and 1.7 blocks (fifth).
Akhuetie and the 6-11 Prince Eze, another Nigerian, are expected to impose their will inside against a smaller San Beda side, which lost Cameroonian banger Donald Tankoua for the rest of the season due to ACL injury he suffered in the second round.
“That’s the San Beda weakness that we need to exploit,” said Perpetual Help consultant Nosa Omorogbe, member of the 2012 and 2013 Perpetual Help squad that lost to San Beda in the semis.
Without Tankoua, locals Jayvee Mocon, Benedict Adamos and Arnaud Noah have taken the cudgels and anchored the Lions’ surge to the top of the heap again.
Arellano U, meanwhile, is hoping Jio Jalalon will finally come out strong following a pair of poor games against San Beda.
The Chiefs’ top gun was held to an average of 14 points after missing 23 of 32 shots.
“He’s nursing a half-sprain. Hopefully he will recover in time for our Final Four game against San Beda,” said Arellano U mentor Jerry Codiñera, who is also wary of the 6-11 Oraeme, who is poised to win his second MVP trophy after posting averages of 15.8 points (fifth), 19.8 rebounds (first) and 2.3 blocks (second).