Front-running Dolphins, Blazers shoot for 7th win

Philippine Christian University and St. Benilde try to maintain their lofty positions when they face separate opponents today at the start of the second round of eliminations in the 78th NCAA basketball tournament at the Makati Coliseum.

Sharing the top spot with 6-1 slates, the Dolphins shoot for a seventh straight victory against the Perpetual Help Altas at 2 p.m. while the Blazers, the 2000 champions, face the San Beda Red Lions at 4 p.m.

Attention, however, would focus on the Jimmy Mariano-coached PCU, which owns the hottest streak in the tournament after notching its sixth straight win at the expense of erstwhile unbeaten St. Benilde, 80-72, last Friday.

Expect Loreto Soriano to carry the scoring load anew following a 24-point performance against the Blazers while Bernzon Franco, a certified force in the shaded area, shooter Joseph Roque and playmaker Alwyn Ilagan are expected to provide the needed back-up.

Arjun Cordero and Jeff Bombeo, on the other hand, would be the Red Lions’ main source of strength as they gun for a first win after dropping all their seven games in the first round.

St. Benilde, for its part, is not about to let its loss to PCU affect its play when it collides with UPHR, which finished the first round with a second worst 1-6 card.

"Losing is part of the game and my players are experienced enough not to be affected by that," said St. Benilde coach Dong Vergaire.

But for the Blazers to get back on track, they need more scorers other than Sunday Salvacion.