The stakes will be high when Emilio Aguinaldo College and Lyceum of the Philippines University tackle each other in a crucial encounter on Tuesday in the NCAA Season 100.
The Generals and the Pirates lock horns at 11 a.m. with the winner regaining the solo fourth spot in a tight Final Four race while eliminated squads University of Perpetual Help System DALTA and Jose Rizal University will square off at 2:30 p.m. at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.
EAC and Lyceum are currently tied at the fourth spot with identical 8-8 win-loss records and their second round rematch should make for an interesting storyline.
The Generals actually got the better of the Pirates the first time they met this season last September 29, where the graduating team captain King Gurtiza won it for them at the charity stripe, sinking two of the three free throws with 6.7 seconds left in the clock for a 90-88 escape.
And they know their upcoming battle against the Pirates could be the difference in their bid to make their first-ever Final Four appearance.
" It’s gonna be the biggest [game] of the season for us. Kasi it all boils down to this [game] if ever we want to enter the Final Four," EAC head coach Jerson Cabiltes said.
"We need to defeat LPU, we cannot rely on them na matalo sila sa game nila. For us to win, need to do it on our own and take care of the job. Kalaban naman sila sa Tuesday so paghahandaan namin."
But the Pirates are leaving no stones unturned, too.
LPU, which has encountered bumps on the road with multiple injuries, will be having its full lineup on Tuesday with JM Bravo securing the go-signal to return to play.
Aside from Bravo, LPU had also gotten back the services of Mclaude Guadaña and Michael Verzosa, who were both sidelined for some time due to separate injuries.
"Honestly, nae-excite ako kasi first time naming makukumpleto against EAC. Meron na siyang (Bravo) clearance from his doctor na fit to play na siya," LPU coach Gilbert Malabanan said.
In the second game, Perpetual and JRU, both already out of contention, are expected to leave it all out on the floor as they look to end their respective campaigns on a good note.
The ALTAs (6-11) will be playing their last game this season and they will have to do it against the equally-hungry Heavy Bombers (4-12).
Perpetual is coming off a three-game slide, falling to Benilde, Mapua, and San Sebastian last Saturday, which saw the wards of rookie coach Olsen Racela wasting an early lead en route to an 83-72 heartbreaking loss.
JRU, on the other hand, is fresh off back-to-back setbacks against Arellano and Lyceum and the Heavy Bombers hope to end the dry spell in their match against the Perpetual before they wrap up their season on Friday against EAC.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
