Chiefs seek win vs JRU to stay in race

MANILA, Philippines - Arellano U tries to get past Jose Rizal today and keep its slim Final Four hopes alive in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan.

In solo seventh at 4-9, the Chiefs need to win as many games as possible in their last five matches to get a shot at the fourth and last semis berth.

San Sebastian, unbeaten in 13 games, and a surging Letran (11-2) have clinched the first two seats in the next round with San Beda (10-1) needing just a victory to advance, leaving the fight for the last semis berth among the rest of the teams.

Mapua is in fourth at 6-7 but is chased by St. Benilde and Lyceum, which tote identical 5-8 marks, while Emilio Aguinaldo College and JRU share eighth place at 3-9.

Perpetual Help remains in the hunt despite a 3-10 card.

The Altas and the Generals collide in the 4 p.m. game with both gunning for victory to stay in the race.

The Altas tripped the undermanned Lyceum Pirates, 78-73, last week with Harold Arboleda firing 16 points, including nine in the fourth quarter.

But for Perpetual to gain a playoff for the last semis berth, it must sweep its last five games and hope the other aspirants won’t win more than nine.

“Our thinking right now is to compete as hard as we can each game. If we win, that’s a bonus,” Perpetual coach Jimwell Gicain said.