Mapua University looks to regain the solo spot when it takes on Emilio Aguinaldo College on Tuesday in the NCAA Season 99 while both Colegio de San Juan de Letran and San Sebastian College-Recoletos will hope to end their woes.
Mapua (10-3) will slug it out against EAC (7-6) at 3:30 p.m., while struggling Letran (1-12) and San Sebastian (4-9) will open the double-header at 1:30 p.m. at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
The Cardinals are coming off a 70-63 win against the Stags with team captain Warren Bonifacio leading the way as they forged a tie at the top spot with Lyceum of the Philippines University.
The game against the hungry Generals will dictate who the league leader will be.
EAC, meanwhile, is out to bounce back from an 81-71 loss to San Beda University last Sunday as the wards of rookie head coach Jerson Cabiltes continue to chase their Final Four dreams.
In the first game, Letran and San Sebastian will tangle in a bid to return to the win column.
The Knights are now on a five-game losing slump that saw them bow to Benilde, Perpetual, Mapua, EAC, and Lyceum. Their first and only win so far, incidentally, came at the expense of the Stags when the Muralla crew carved out an 86-71 triumph behind Neil Guarino last October 18.
Guarino, though, has been missing in the past few games after sustaining an injury during their game against the Blazers while team captain Kurt Reyson was also not around in their previous game against the Pirates due to an injury as well.
The depleted Letran side will have to face an equally-hungry Stags, who have been leaning on Romel Calahat, Paeng Are, Raymart Escobido, and Alex Desoyo.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
