MANILA -- Arellano University and Letran believed they are still on track for a possible Final Four stint as the two collide Monday afternoon in the 86th National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball tournament at the Arena in San Juan City.
The two have the same goal going into this game, and that is, to move closer to the idle Mapua Cardinals, who are at solo fourth toting a 6-4 card.
“We hope to use that as an inspiration against Letran,” said Arellano Chiefs coach Leo Isaac of their 76-72 surprise win against the Cardinals last August 20.
The Chiefs are currently trailing the Cardinals by two-and-a-half games while the Letran Knights hold a distant 3-7 record.
The Knights are reeling from a heartbreaking 60-63 defeat to the Cardinals last August 25 in a game the former lost via endgame collapse.
The Chiefs however will be playing in the 4 p.m. main event without Vergel Zulueta and seldom-used Erwin Catapang.
Catapang will serve out the first of a two-game suspension while Zulueta, who averaged nearly 10 points and three rebounds a game, will sit out for a game for their misconduct in their duel against Mapua.
In the 2 p.m. opening game, cellar-dwellers St. Benilde and Emilio Aguinaldo will try to improve their records amid fading semifinal bids. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)