DAVAO Occidental Tigers-Cocolife plays its biggest, albeit toughest, game when it clashes against league leader San Juan Knights in the 2018 Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) Datu Cup at 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Rizal Memorial Colleges (RMC) Filoil Flying V Event Center, Davao City.

The 7 p.m. curtain raiser pits Caloocan Supremos (5-12) against Cebu City Sharks Casino (7-11).

The San Juan Knights totes a 15-3 win-loss card to stay on top of the current team standings while 14-3 Manila Stars and Davao Occidental Tigers shared the second and third places, respectively.

Tigers assistant coach Arvin Bonleon, who hails from Davao City, said, “Maybe match up lang kami until sa last buzzer.”

Bonleon, citing the Knights' strengths, said, “Malalaki din kasi sila at malalim din ang bench points nila. Pero ready na kami for the game.”

The Tigers routed the Bacoor Strikers, 69-50, at the Strike Gymnasium in Bacoor, Cavite last December 13 while the Knights last saw action against Bataan Risers, pulling off a 67-61 at the Bataan People's Center last December 10.

Former PBA player Mark Yee, who made 17 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, in Davao Occidental Tigers' last game is expected to lead the charge for the Don Dulay-coached Tigers while reliable Mark Cardona will try to carry the Knights anew.