Games are becoming more crucial as the NCAA Season 100 men's basketball tournament heads to its final stretch in the elimination round.
De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde will take on first round tormentor Colegio de San Juan de Letran at 2:30 p.m. at the Filoil EcoOil Centre as both teams hope for better placements in the league standings.
The Final Four-bound Blazers eye to boost its bid for a twice-to-beat advantage as it currently sits atop the standings with a 12-2 win-loss card, while Letran (7-8) eyes to notch its second win in the second round as they fight for a Final Four slot.
In the first round, Letran defeated Benilde, 71-69, and Blazers head coach Charles Tiu is aware of the implications of their upcoming games.
"This is the toughest part of the schedule," Tiu said as they still have to face Letran, San Beda, Mapua, and LPU in the home stretch of the elimination round.
"For sure, [San] Beda and Mapua are playoff teams. Letran has been struggling as of late but they defeated us in the first round and they're a good team. We [also] have Lyceum that's playing so well. We can't relax.
"Our goal right now is to finish in the top two to get that twice-to-beat advantage because it's so tough here in the NCAA so we have to finish strong," Tiu added.
Benilde has been on a six-game winning streak since the end of the first round, while Letran has absorbed back-to-back losses against Jose Rizal University and Emilio Aguinaldo College.
The Pirates, on the other hand, also hopes to get ahead in the standings when it takes on Jose Rizal University (4-11).
LPU and Letran join EAC in the logjam at the fourth spot with seven wins and eight losses each.
The Pirates will take on the Heavy Bombers at 12:00 p.m.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
