Lions, Chiefs collide today

Published: July 4, 2013
Games Today

(The Arena, San Juan)

4 p.m. – CSB vs EAC

6 p.m. – Arellano vs San Beda

Three-time defending champion San Beda tries to get back on the winning track when it collides with Arellano University today in the NCAA Season 89 basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan.

The Lions and the Chiefs square off at 6 p.m. with the winner taking solo second in the 10-team field behind co-leaders Letran and Perpetual Help College who are both toting similar 2-0 records.

In the other game, host College St. Benilde and Emilio Aguinaldo College clash at 2 p.m. in a battle between winless teams. CSB lost to San Beda in the opening, 71-70, while the Generals have dropped their fist two games against Perpetual (69-49) and Letran (79-74).

CSB coach Gab Velasco will once again lean on Mark Romero and Paolo Taha who played splendidly during their game against the Red Lions.

Both the Lions and the Chiefs, who are tied with Jose Rizal University, Mapua and Lyceum at 1-1, are coming off contrasting results with the Lions still reeling from a 70-66 loss to the Lyceum Pirates last week.

The Pirates, however, failed to sustain the momentum of that stunning win – their biggest so far – when they lost to the Chiefs of Koy Banal, 68-60, last Saturday.

Arellano’s impressive win over the team that brought down the reigning champion was not lost on SBC coach Boyet Fernandez.

Fernandez is fully aware of the dangers being posed by Chiefs that’s why he instructed his staff and players to study Arellano’s game very carefully.

“It will be a challenge for us. We’ll look at that tape and check all our weaknesses to prepare ourselves for Arellano,” said Fernandez.

“We just have to wake up, go back to the drawing board and come back strong against Arellano,” he added.

Banal, who once mentored San Beda more than a decade ago, hopes to get the same kind of firepower and energy from Jio Jalalon and Allen Enriquez with star player James Forrester not yet in his best form.

The Chiefs have already been tagged as early favorites due to their promising showing in the preseason tournament, and Banal said it gave his stalwarts enough confidence going to this season.