BIG GUNS COLLIDE

Games today:

(Filoil EcoOil Centre)

11 a.m. — Perpetual vs JRU

2:30 p.m. — San Beda vs Saint Benilde

Reigning champion San Beda University gets an early test when it battles heavy contender College of Saint Benilde in Season 100 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament today at the Filoil EcoOil Arena in San Juan.

Game time is set at 2:30 p.m. with the Red Lions eager to pull off a win not only to gain a spot on top but to send a strong signal that they are still a force to be reckoned with in the country’s oldest collegiate league.

Meanwhile, University of Perpetual Help System Dalta will open its campaign when it battles Jose Rizal University in the first game at 11 a.m.

After missing the Final Four last season, the Altas overhauled their squad and brought in a seasoned mentor in Olsen Racela together with a star-studded coaching crew in Richard del Rosario, Myk Saguiguit and Joph Cleofas.

Racela, an assistant of the Philippine Basketball Association’s winningest mentor in Tim Cone at Barangay Ginebra, didn’t make any promises but vowed to go all out every time they step on the floor.

“We’re not promising anything, but of course, we will give our best effort,” said Racela, who led Far Eastern University to three Final Four appearances in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.

“I’m sure the players will do that as well. Like I said, this is their opportunity because of the players we lost. This is their opportunity to show what they can do.”

But all eyes will be on the Red Lions and the Blazers in a match that could be a preview of the Final Four this season.

Behind the hot debut of rookie Brian Sajonia, the Red Lions roared early as they booked a 79-63 win over Lyceum of the Philippines University in the league’s opening salvo last Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Saint Benilde then followed it up with a masterful 78-65 victory over Mapua University to gain an early win in this 10-team tournament.

Still, San Beda coach Yuri Escueta refused to be complacent, knowing that the Blazers they will be facing now is different from the team that made a Final Four exit last year.

Saint Benilde, for one, beefed up its roster with veteran players like Tony Ynot, Allen Liwag, and Gab Cometa under the leadership of head coach Charles Tiu and Serbian consultant Rajko Toroman.

Liwag, for one, terrorized the paint as he dropped 23 points and 18 rebounds during Saint Benilde’s 78-65 win over the Cardinals in the opener.

“We need to prepare for them. We haven’t won against them in the preseason and they are a well-coached team under Coach Charles and Coach Rajko,” Escueta said.

“I hope we have a good game against them on Tuesday.”

Tiu, for his part, stressed that what they showed against Mapua — the team that broke their hearts in the Final Four last year — was not yet their best performance.

“We didn’t play our best but we were able to try things out. You’ll see that we won by 13 but it didn’t feel that way,” Tiu said.

“We were down for pretty much the whole game. I give credit to the players, they found a way to win.”