SHOOTING SHOWDOWN

Games today:

(Mall of Asia Arena)

11 a.m. — Saint Benilde vs JRU

2:30 p.m. — San Beda vs Mapua

5 p.m. — San Sebastian vs EAC

Mapua University has a shot at taking the top spot when it clashes with defending champion San Beda University Tuesday in Season 100 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association men’s basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Hostilities start at 2:30 p.m. as the rematch of the Season 99 finals banner today’s triple-header to cap off the first round.

Both Mapua and College of Saint Benilde currently share the top spot with identical 6-2 win-loss records while the Red Lions are in solo fourth with a 5-3 slate.

The Blazers are also seeking the No. 1 seed today as they face Jose Rizal University (JRU) at 11 a.m.

‘We’ll turn that frustration into hard work.’

Saint Benilde, which started the season strong after winning its first four games with an average of 16.7 points, found itself losing three of its last four games in do-or-die moments.

The Blazers’ latest loss was a shock 71-73 defeat to Arellano University last Friday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

What made this loss even more painful was that this was the first time the Chiefs claimed the scalp of the Blazers since Season 95 when the likes of Kent Salado and Justin Arana connived for a 75-69 triumph in the second round.

Saint Benilde assistant coach TY Tang said the squad needs to show the same hunger and intensity that made it into a championship contender.

“I think in their last three games they faced scrappy teams. San Sebastian, Arellano, and now JRU. They are quite the same: Physical and scrappy,” said Tang, a former Saint Benilde head coach from 2016 to 2021.

“That’s what we need to work on to stay dominant. It’s really trying to improve on how we should play the way we should play.”

The Blazers will have big man Allen Liwag to lean on after he got a double-double of 18 points and 17 rebounds.

For Heavy Bombers head coach Louie Gonzalez, he is bracing his boys against  Saint Benilde’s edge in size when they face off.

“I’m planning how to go against Saint Benilde’s height advantage. Their players are huge,” Gonzalez said.

“We know how deep and talented that team is. The Blazers might have woken up at the wrong side of the bed against Arellano but they are going to come back strong.”

Joshua Guiab will be the main man for the Bombers after posting a double-double output of 19 points and 12 rebounds in their 75-63 win over Emilio Aguinaldo College over the weekend.

But eyes will be on Mapua, which re-established itself as one of the championship contenders for Season 100.

After veterans Paolo Hernandez and Warren Bonifacio departed after last season’s heartbreak in the finals, the Cardinals didn’t look intimidating despite still having Season 99 Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player Clint Escamis.

But with Marc Cuenco and rookie Chris Hubilla stepping up to the plate, the Cardinals reminded everybody why they can’t be taken lightly in the country’s oldest collegiate league.

In Mapua’s 77-71 win over Arellano last week, Escamis and Hubilla scored 15 points each while Cuenco had 10 points to his name.

Escamis said the team will be using the pain of last year’s Finals heartbreak to motivate the players against San Beda.

“The pain they gave us last year hasn’t left yet so we have to instill that to our rookies,” Escamis said.

“We’ll turn that frustration into hard work.”

As for Lions head coach Yuri Escueta, he hopes his boys will be able to be fluid offensively and defensively as they seek to finish the first round with a bang.

“Getting a string of wins is helpful for us, especially in the first round. Being in the Top 4 in the first round, whatever position it is, it’s always good for us,” Escueta said.

 “Hopefully, like I said, let’s just keep getting better and finish the first round strong.”

Jomel Puno will once again lead the frontlines for San Beda after scoring 16 points in its 63-62 win over University of Perpetual Help System Dalta last Saturday.

Capping off the game day will be San Sebastian College taking on Emilio Aguinaldo College at 5 p.m.

The Generals, who share the seventh spot with the Bombers with identical 3-5 slates, look to improve their standings against the 10th place Stags.

San Sebastian is currently on a six-game losing streak after winning its first two games.