The Final Four hopes of Lyceum of the Philippines University and Emilio Aguinaldo College are at stake in Friday's NCAA Season 100 men's basketball games at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.
Only LPU (9-8) and EAC (8-9) remain in contention for the last Final Four slot as De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Mapua University, and San Beda University are already assured of their semis tickets.
At 12 p.m., the Pirates will take on Benilde as they aim to book an outright Final Four berth.
A win for the Pirates will improve their standings to 10-8 which will separate them from EAC and the lower-ranked teams.
LPU head coach Gilbert Malabanan said he does not want his players to be too confident heading into the said match.
"I want them to play hard pa rin, practice hard, kasi 'di pa tapos ang goal namin. Meron pa kaming isang game and ang goal namin is going to the Final Four bago namin isiipin mga next," Malabanan said.
Benilde head coach Charles Tiu, meanwhile, is aware of LPU's momentum and eagerness to book a semis spot.
"Now they're [in] full force but we have to work hard, that's part of basketball. It's a good challenge for our team heading into the playoffs. Win or lose, I think we're gonna be ready for the playoffs because they're also playing at a high level after a big win against EAC."
LPU is coming off a three-game win streak, while Benilde just defeated defending champion San Beda University last Wednesday.
The Benilde-LPU faceoff may be a preview of a possible Final Four pairing but Tiu insisted they just have to work hard on Friday.
"Kami nga, kahit sinong kalaban, we just want to prepare and obviously we would want to clinch it earlier so we could save some of our cards, save some of our legs, but if it's the way it's so, we just play hard against Lyceum on Friday," said Tiu.
In the first round, Benilde defeated LPU, 103-78.
Meanwhile, at 2:30 p.m., the Generals will take on an also-ran Jose Rizal University (4-13) for its Final Four chances.
EAC, however, needs LPU to fall to Benilde in the first game to keep its chances alive.
Following that, EAC needs to win against JRU so both the Pirates and the Generals will have identical 9-9 cards. If this happens, then a playoff for the no. 4 spot will be done.
"JRU will play with nothing to lose, eh first game ang CSB and LPU so magdadasal kami nang mataimtim on the first game and we'll do our job on the second game."
The Heavy Bombers, on the other hand, will play its final game without head coach Louie Gonzalez after he was ejected from their last game against University of Perpetual Help System DALTA.
JRU defeated EAC in their first round encounter, 75-63.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
