Knights out to regain piece of NC lead

Letran guns for a share of the lead with San Beda as it takes on struggling Perpetual Help today even as Philippine Christian U tries to stay within striking distance of the leaders against San Sebastian in the 82nd NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The Knights trail the Lions with a 7-1 (win-loss) slate after the Mendiola-based cagers blasted the San Sebastian Stags, 77-60, Friday for their seventh straight win and eighth overall against a loss.

The defending champion Knights, however, could regain a piece of the lead with a victory over the Altas, down at No. 6 with a 2-6 record, in their 2 p.m. encounter.

"We need to be more aggressive and avoid being sloppy," said Letran coach Louie Alas, who didn’t hide his disappointment after his wards pulled off a come-from-behind 71-63 win over St. Benilde Wednesday.

The Dolphins, on the other hand, battle the Stags at 4 p.m., looking for their seventh victory against two defeats for third place.

The Dolphins are coming off a 64-54 rout of the Altas while the Stags are still smarting from that loss to the amazing Red Lions. SSC is in fifth spot with a 3-6 record and would need to sweep its last five games to advance to the Final Four.

The Stags’ woes, however, could be compounded with the possibility of rookies Gilbert Bulawan and John Raymundo being suspended for tripping and extending a foot on a shooting player, respectively.

Commissioner Jun Bernardino, in fact, summoned Bulawan, who had a career-high 21 points in a setback to San Beda, and Raymundo, a point guard who can hit it from behind the arc, to explain their side today.

"We’ll know tomorrow (today)," said Bernardino, a former PBA commissioner.

If proven guilty, the two would be the fourth and fifth players to be suspended this season, the first three being Jose Rizal’s Alvin Se and San Beda’s John Escobal and Rogemar Menor.

The Management Committee chaired by Bernie Atienza, however, reversed its decision to suspend Escobal after San Beda rector, Fr. Anscar Chopungco, OSB, appealed the decision.