Games today (April 1, 2022)
(La Salle Greenhills Gym)
12 noon – Perpetual vs SSC-R
3 p.m. – JRU vs Mapua
University of Perpetual Help System Dalta and Mapua seek a share of first place as they play separate foes Friday in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the La Salle Greenhills Gym.
The Altas go up against San Sebastian at 12 noon, while the Cardinals tangle with Jose Rizal University at 3 p.m.
Perpetual and Mapua hope to force a four-way logjam along with titleholder Letran and San Beda at 2-0.
First-year coach Myk Saguiguit had a winning start, as the Altas pulled off a 77-56 victory over the Bombers last Tuesday, with holdovers Kim Aurin and Jielo Razon leading the way.
“On the performance of the veterans—‘yung nakita niyo kanina, ‘yan talaga sila. Ang tingin ko talagang magiging consistent ‘yan dahil they are very ready for this Season 97,” said Saguiguit.
A team trying to make a return trip to the Final Four after missing the bus in 2019, Perpetual is determined to go all-out with the roster Saguiguit currently has.
“Hindi kami malakas na team, kumbaga lahat dapat ‘yan pag-aralan. Dapat i-take talaga na parang championship kasi hindi ko nakikita na malakas ‘yung team ko. Gusto lang din talaga nila maglaro kaya ganyan ang nakita nila ngayong first game,” said Saguiguit.
The Stags seek to rebound from last Sunday’s narrow 63-65 defeat to Arellano University, as the Recto-based squad failed to capitalized big man Justin Arana’s absence in the final minute.
Coach Randy Alcantara knows that the Cardinals have to find ways to alleviate the lack of size to contend for the Final Four.
“’Yung defense namin. Sa line-up namin, nakita mo naman, ‘yung gitna namin kailangan naming tumibay dahil lahat siguro malalaki ang kalaban namin. Lumalabas si Warren (Bonifacio) lang ang pinaka-center namin,” said Alcantara after Mapua’s season-opening 73-67 win over Emilio Aguinaldo College.
Unlike last season, where the Cardinals fell short in their bid despite a strong second round showing, Alcantara stressed the need for his troops to go all-out with this year’s competition format.
“We have to treat every game as playoffs, parang kailangang-kailangan talaga. So anuman ang mangyari sa resulta, ibigay ninyo lang ang best ninyo,” said Alcantara.
Mapua cannot be complacent as JRU is determined to rebound from its 21-point loss at the hands of Perpetual.