De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and Jose Rizal University will look to boost their respective Final Four hopes when they take on separate foes on Saturday in the NCAA Season 99.
Surging Benilde will hope to extend its three-game winning streak against Arellano University at 9:30 a.m. while JRU will lock horns with University of Perpetual Help System DALTA at 3 p.m. at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.
The Blazers are currently tied with San Beda University at the fourth spot with an identical 7-4 card and the wards of head coach Charles Tiu will look to break that deadlock against the Chiefs.
Benilde is protecting a three-game run after beating defending champion Colegio de San Juan de Letran, league-leading Mapua University, and hungry Perpetual to keep their Final Four hopes very much alive.
Robi Nayve continues to live up to his captainship, leading the Blazers with 14.78 points, 4.11 rebounds, 3.44 assists, and 0.67 steals while veteran guard Migs Oczon is just behind with 14.64 markers, 3.45 boards, and 2.91 dimes.
Arellano, meanwhile, is coming off a 79-74 loss to JRU last Sunday. But the Chiefs have proven they can be a threat as they defeated contender San Beda with Jade Talampas leading them.
In the second game, JRU will also try to cop its third win in a row as it tangles with Perpetual.
The Heavy Bombers previously dealt heartbreakers to San Sebastian College-Recoletos and Arellano to claim a solo seat at the third spot with an 8-4 record as Agem Miranda, Marwin Dionisio, and Joshua Guiab steadying the ship for JRU.
They will be up against the upset-seeking ALTAs, who are eager to bounce back from a botched comeback attempt last time against the Blazers, where sophomore guard Jun Roque dropped a career-high 27 points.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
