League-leading Mapua University and rejuvenated Jose Rizal University will take on struggling University of Perpetual Help System DALTA and Arellano University in bid to end their first round campaign on a strong note on Saturday.
Mapua takes on Perpetual at 9:30 a.m. where its five-game winning streak will be put to test while JRU will square off with Arellano at 3 p.m. at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.
The Cardinals are surprisingly taking the league by storm after a lackluster campaign in the previous season.
Behind rookie Clint Escamis and veterans Warren Bonifacio and Paolo Hernandez, Mapua is on a roll after beating Benilde, EAC, Letran, Lyceum, and Arellano en route to claiming the top spot.
Perpetual, meanwhile, absorbed a heartbreaker against San Beda last Tuesday, where the ALTAs blew a 14-point lead before the Red Lions eked out a tight 62-60 win.
In the second game, JRU will look to make it a second win in a row before heading to the second round.
Coming off a thrilling 88-87 double overtime victory against Lyceum of the Philippines University, the Heavy Bombers will take on the Chiefs who are reeling from three straight losses to EAC, Benilde, and Mapua.
Prior to that, JRU was dealt back-to-back defeats at the hands of San Sebastian and San Beda.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
