Games today:
(Filoil EcoOil Centre)
12 p.m. — Mapua vs JRU
3 p.m. — San Beda vs Letran

A depleted Letran College squad will march into battle to face an old rival in San Beda University in Season 98 National Collegiate Athletic Association men's basketball tournament today at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

Action starts at 3 p.m. with the Knights gunning for a win that will give them a place on top of the team standings of the country's oldest collegiate league.

Meanwhile, Mapua University aims to arrest its losing skein when it tangles with dangerous Jose Rizal University in the first game at 12 p.m.

Idle College of Saint Benilde and Lyceum of the Philippines University are roaring early as they secured four wins in five matches to share the top spot following a pair of contrasting wins last Wednesday.

The Blazers clobbered Arellano University, 84-72, while the Pirates conquered University of Perpetual Help System Dalta, 82-77, to emerge half-game ahead of the Knights, who are toting a 3-1 win-loss mark in this 10-team tourney.

But securing a place in the ceiling will not be easy for the Knights.

They, for one, will be missing the services of veterans Brent Paraiso and Louie Sangalang, who were slapped with a one-game suspension following their respective infractions during their previous match against the Cardinals last Tuesday.

Paraiso, a transferee from University of Santo Tomas, got sacked due to an unsportsmanlike foul on Adrian Nocum while Sangalang was thrown out after committing two technical fouls in the fourth period of the highly-charged, highly-emotional rematch of last year's finals showdown.

Worse, they will be facing a San Beda squad that is itching to pull off a win that will not only improve its standing but will also boost their confidence against the reigning champions.

In fact, the last time the Knights and the Lions clashed was in Season 97 in which the boys from Intramuros bannered by Rhenz Abando and Jeo Ambohot sealed a 59-56 win en route to sweeping the entire tourney.