League-leading De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde will kick off its second round campaign in the NCAA Season 100 without its top guard Tony Ynot.
The Blazers (7-2) will take on an upset-hungry San Sebastian College-Recoletos (2-7) at 2:30 p.m. with Benilde parading a depleted roster, while Colegio de San Juan de Letran (6-4) and University of Perpetual Help System DALTA (4-6) will square off in bid to regain their winning ways at 12 p.m.
Benilde is coming off a pair of wins in their last three games, winning over the Stags and Jose Rizal University but losing to Arellano University in an upset fashion.
Despite them still cruising atop the ladder, Benilde head coach Charles Tiu fired warnings that they should not be complacent, especially against the Stags who almost took them down during their first round encounter.
With Ynot out due to an injury he sustained from their previous game, expect everyone from the Benilde bench to step up his game.
"We’re happy that we’re number one but obviously we would have wanted a bit more breathing room kasi dikit-dikit lahat ng teams. Definitely, we want to get the twice-to-beat sa Final Four if we do make it," Tiu said.
"We have to be humble kasi we haven’t accomplished anything pa talaga."
Meanwhile, Letran and Perpetual, both coming off losses, will lock horns in an all-important match.
The Knights are reeling from a 91-68 upset loss to lower-ranked Lyceum of the Philippines University last Friday while the ALTAs are on a four-game slump, which started out with a loss against, incidentally, Letran.
In their first meeting last September 28, Letran gutted out an 82-73 triple overtime victory over Perpetual where star transferee Jimboy Estrada shone in the endgame and finished with 12 points and 15 rebounds.
And the Knights are out to repeat this victory.
"Sabi ko lang sa mga bata na kailangan magkaroon ng sense of urgency kasi eight games na lang, tapos 'yung eight games na 'yon, hindi naman mahina ang mga kalaban natin," Letran head coach Allen Ricardo said.
"Sabi ko kailangan magkaroon tayo ng sense of urgency going to our next game, especially sa Perpetual."
