Chiefs eye solo lead vs Lions in NCAA

MANILA, Philippines - Three-peat champion San Beda tests Arellano U’s mettle today, hoping to bounce back from a setback to San Sebastian in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at The Fil-Oil Arena in San Juan City.

The Lions, still a top contender despite losing the core of their champion squad, fell to the Stags, 77-83, last Wednesday for a 1-1 (win-loss) slate.

They will be facing a guest team seeking solo leadership after racking up back-to-back victories in the early going of the tournament.

The Chiefs slammed the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals, 80-62, last Monday then stunned the multi-titled Letran Knights, 81-73, the next playdate to force a four-way tie for the lead with San Sebastian, Jose Rizal and St. Benilde.

The San Beda-Arellano match is set at 4 p.m.

“This is going to be our toughest game in the NCAA,” said Arellano mentor Junjie Ablan. “This means we need to work harder than we did in our first two wins.”

San Beda coach Frankie Lim, on the other hand, remains wary of the Chiefs.

“We can’t take them (Arellano) lightly, we know what they’re capable of. Based on their last games, they’re capable of beating big teams,” said Lim.

“This will also be a big game for us because we have to bounce back from our loss to San Sebastian,” he said.

Meanwhile, EAC and Angeles University Foundation, the other guest squads in the 10-team field, collide at 2 p.m. in a duel of winless squads.

The Generals, who lorded it over the NCRAA and the UCAA in the past, and the Great Danes lost to the Chiefs and the St. Benilde Blazers, 76-87, respectively, in their respective debuts.

Focus will be on the pair of Giorgio Ciriacruz and Adrian Celada, who have carried the cudgels for the Fr. Martin Cup and NCRAA champions with their solid games.

Ciriacruz averaged 15 points, 6.5 rebounds, two shot blocks, two assists and two steals while Celada, a PBL veteran, normed 16.5 points and six rebounds.