Games today:

(Mall of Asia Arena)

2 p.m. — UE vs UST

4:30 p.m. — FEU vs NU

Already assured of a Final Four seat, league-leading National University (NU) shifts its focus to securing at least a playoff for a twice-to-beat advantage in the next round of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 88 men’s basketball tournament.

The streaking Bulldogs try to strengthen their bid for the incentive in a showdown against a survival-mode Far Eastern University (FEU) side Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Tipoff begins at 4:30 p.m. after the 2 p.m. opening match between University of Santo Tomas and also-ran University of the East.

NU is on a three-game winning streak and sports an impressive 9-2 win-loss record atop the standings.

The Bulldogs punched a semifinals ticket after beating Adamson University, 66-65, last Saturday behind the game-winning completed three-point play by Mark Parks with 10 seconds left.

Despite missing the services of Gelo Santiago, whose return will be in the Final Four after getting slapped with a five-game suspension, the likes of Parks, brother of former two-time Most Valuable Player Ray Parks, stepped up to back Jake Figueroa, Omar John, Paul Francisco and Steve Nash Enriquez.

“I’ve already laid out how we operate as a team over the past years, and I’ve shared my thoughts on what needs to be done. Hopefully, they understood my message so that whatever we aim to achieve this year, we can really accomplish it,” NU coach Jeff Napa said after his team’s Final Four return after falling short last year.

“We know there will always be obstacles. Challenges like what we’re facing now don’t just disappear — like losing a player, Gelo (Santiago), for instance, really tested us.”

The Bulldogs hope to deliver the same powerful bite that allowed them to easily crush the Tamaraws, 84-68, in the first round last 27 September.

FEU is in desperate need of wins in its last four assignments.

The Tamaraws outlasted the Falcons, 73-70, in overtime last 2 November. FEU had an extended break after its match against the Tigers last Sunday was postponed due to inclement weather brought by typhoon “Uwan.”

“So, now we’re 2-1 in the second round. And so, I don’t know. We felt like going into the season, there’s certain teams that we had to try to sweep if possible. And then there’s three teams that we need to try to split with. And one of them is UST. See if we can possibly, maybe, steal a game from La Salle and NU. So, if we can, then we’re in a really good situation,” Tamaraws coach Sean Chambers said.

On the other hand, UST seeks to arrest a four-game slide and better its chances of making it to the Final Four and a possible semis incentive.

The Tigers are tied with Ateneo de Manila University with a 5-5 mark but have not won since beating FEU, 92-80, last 15 October.

Already out of the semis picture, the Red Warriors are just focused on ending an 11-game skid and capturing the elusive first win.