Benilde, Beda make semis

The Blazers finished the ninth round with league-best 26.5 points following a 3-1 romp of Mapua

Defending champion College of Saint Benilde and San Beda University claimed Final Four spots and twice-to-beat bonus after finishing 1-2 in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Season 95 chess tournament Saturday at the San Beda campus.

The Blazers finished the ninth round with league-best 26.5 points following a 3-1 romp of Mapua while the Red Woodpushers were not far behind with 26 points after a 4-0 dismantling of Jose Rizal University (JRU).

University of Perpetual Help System Dalta bested Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC), 3.5-.5 to finish third with 20 points while Arellano University edged Letran, 2.5-1.5, to end up in No. 4 with 17 points.

In the semifinals, Saint Benilde and San Beda need to win once to make it to the finals. Next for the Blazers are the Chiefs while the Red Woodpushers will face the Altas in the crossover semifinals Sunday.

The championship round will be played Wednesday.

In junior’s action, title-holder Perpetual Help defeated EAC, 3-1, to finish No. 1 with 28.5 points while San Beda ended with 27.5 points following a 4-0 romp of JRU.

The junior Altas will face No. 4 Arellano in the semifinals while the Junior Red Woodpushers will take on No. 3 Lyceum of the Philippines University in the other pairing.

Perpetual Help and San Beda hold twice-to-beat incentives in the Final Four.