University of Perpetual Help System Dalta seeks to keep its place inside the magic four, while San Sebastian aims to snatch it as the two collide today in the 94th NCAA basketball tournament at the UPHSD Gym in Las Pinas.
The Altas fell to solo leader Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates, 77-91, Friday that dropped them to fourth place with a 2-2 (win-loss) record, while the Stags routed the Mapua Cardinals, 94-70, Tuesday to zoom to fifth with a 3-4 card.
The winner of their 4 p.m. showdown, which will be the last stop of this year’s “NCAA on Tour,” will get the No. 4 position behind LPU (7-0), reigning back-to-back titlist San Beda (4-0) and resurgent Letran (4-1).
Perpetual Help coach Frankie Lim said they need to play consistent to get back on the winning groove.
“We had mental lapses. We can’t play like that and expect to win,” said Lim referring to a second-quarter meltdown in the last game.
The Las Pinas-based school is expected to pin its hopes on the duo of Nigerian Prince Eze and Edgar Charcos.
Eze averaged 13.8 points and league-highs 16.5 rebounds and 5.3 blocks while Charcos normed 19.8 points an outing, which is second only to LPU’s CJ Perez’s 20.7, on top of 2.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.3 steals.
The Stags, for their part, are expected to ride the momentum of their recent win as they play minus RK Ilagan for the second straight game due team suspension.
“We just have to make do with what we have,” said San Sebastian College mentor Egay Macaraya.