Games today:

(Rizal Memorial Coliseum)

3:30 p.m. — UE vs UP

6 p.m. — Ateneo vs Saint Benilde

College of Saint Benilde and Ateneo de Manila University try to salvage some measure of pride when they clash in an interesting battle for fifth place in the 2024 Shakey’s Super League (SSL) Collegiate Pre-season Championship today at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

Game time is set at 6 p.m. after the seventh place tussle between University of the East and University of the Philippines at 3:30 p.m.

The Lady Blazers and Blue Eagles have emerged victorious in the first phase of the classification round last week and are now looking to end their campaign in the tournament supported by Shakey’s Pizza Parlor, GCash, Chery Tiggo, F2 Logistics, Peri-Peri Charcoal Chicken, Potato Corner, R and B Milk Tea, Grab Philippines and Summit Water on a winning note.

Saint Benilde, the lone National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) team to advance into the playoffs, is eyeing to add Ateneo to the list of its victims from the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) side after beating Adamson University in the first round and sweeping UP, 25-19, 25-14, 25-20, in the classification round opener last 6 November.

“We always have a good chance to win every game. We just want to play our best each game and show that we’ll give a good fight as much as possible,” Lady Blazers veteran winger Mycah Go said.

The reigning three-peat NCAA champion will also bank on Clydel Catarig, Zamantha Nolasco, Mary Grace Borromeo and heady playmaker Chenae Basarte to score an upset over the fancied Blue Eagles.

Ateneo, on the other hand, defeated the Lady Warriors, 25-21, 25-17, 25-22, in the first classification round pairing of the SSL’s centerpiece competition which has Smart Sports, PLDT Fibr, Mikasa, Asics, Rebel Sports, Eurotel, Victory Liner, Commission on Higher Education, Philippine Sports Commission and SM Tickets as technical partners.

Geezel Tsunashima and Lyann de Guzman led the way in the Blue Eagles’ quick work of UE for a chance to replicate their finish in the inaugural edition two years ago.

“Coach (Sergio Veloso) always reminds us to give our best and be aggressive inside the court,” Ateneo setter Taks Fujimoto said.

“Throughout this pre-season we’ll improve until the UAAP season.”

The best-of-three finals between three-peat-seeking National University and De La Salle University will unfold on 22 November.

University of Santo Tomas and Far Eastern University figure in a winner-take-all battle for bronze.