Unbeaten Blades, second-ranked Knights clash for lead

One winning streak will be snapped today as LBC Batangas and Andok’s San Juan, the league’s two hottest teams, clash for the Northern Conference lead in the second phase of the 2001 MBA season.

Unbeaten in five games, the Blades hope to sustain their amazing run as they tangle with the Knights, who are coming off a four-game romp after dropping their opening day assignment to the Negros Slashers.

Gametime is at 5:30 p.m. with the Knights hosting the leaders at the San Juan gym.

But with the Blades enjoying top form and playing with renewed confidence, the Knights will need more than the crowd to stop the visiting squad.

This marks the first time that these two teams will meet since Andok’s San Juan stunned LBC Batangas in two games to clinch the other finals berth and eventually ruled the first phase of the league after beating the Slashers in the championship.

Meanwhile, Cebuana Lhuillier likewise guns for its fourth straight win as it takes on winless Socsargen-Taguig in their second match in three days at 3 p.m.

Banking on the endgame heroics of Stephen Padilla and Carlos Sayon, the Gems rallied from 14 points down in the fourth quarter and a four-point deficit in the final minute of play to turn back the Marlins, 90-86, Friday.

Cebuana Lhuillier totes a 3-2 record, half a game behind Negros’ 3-1 card in the race for the Southern Conference lead. – Joey Villar