Games Thursday:

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

11 a.m. – La Salle vs Adamson

1 p.m. –– UE vs NU

4:30 p.m. — UP vs FEU

6:30 p.m. –– UST vs Ateneo

Five playdates to go in the elimination round and the wild chase for the last three Final Four seats in the University Athletic Association of the Philippine Season 85 men's basketball tournament is starting to heat up.

Refreshed and recharged after a 12-day break, six teams still in the thick of the battle are expected to go all-out to join defending champion University of the Philippines in the semifinals when action resumes Thursday with a quadruple-header at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Fighting Maroons were the first to grab a ticket to the next round after hiking their win-loss record to 9-1 for the solo top spot.

Riding on a six-game winning streak, UP wants to collect as many wins as it can to build momentum for the Final Four in its last four games against Far Eastern University, De La Salle University, University of the East and rematch with Season 84 Finals victim Ateneo de Manila University on 26 November.

Sporting a 7-3 slate at second spot, National University is a cinch to clinch the second semis berth against teams it had already beaten in the first round for its last three outings.

The Bulldogs will be assured of at least a playoff for a Final Four pass if they beat the Red Warriors on Thursday. They will then take on also-ran Tigers, the suddenly cold Green Archers before wrapping up the eliminations against the Tamaraws.

The Blue Eagles, on the other hand, are also favored to make their eighth straight playoffs stint.