Sunday will be a crucial match day in NCAA Season 100.
Games will tip off at 11:00 a.m. with top two teams De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde and Mapua University jockeying for position in the standings.
The Blazers currently sits atop the standings with 13 wins and two losses, while the Cardinals follow with 12 wins and three losses.
Should Benilde win, securing a twice-to-beat advantage is within reach and head coach Charles Tiu is aware of their opponent's strength.
"We gotta prepare well. Mapua is a really good team. We've been neck-and-neck with them all season long. We barely escaped them the first time we played this season so we have to bring our A game," Tiu said.
"We both haven't clinched the twice-to-beat advantage so we have a lot to play for and those are our goals so we have to prepare hard."
Mapua, meanwhile, will have to rely on defense anew as the two teams eye to zero in on the semis bonus.
"'Yung defense, nasa second man kami o first, dapat nasa sistema na nila 'yan, Benilde man 'yan o kung sinumang kalaban namin," Mapua head coach Randy Alcantara said. "Malaking bagay para sa game namin sa Sunday and hopefully, maka-recover at maganda ang depensa."
The two teams have also been undefeated in the second round, with Benilde's streak currently at seven.
Back in the first round, the Blazers defeated the Cardinals, 78-65.
Meanwhile, San Beda University will go against rival Colegio de San Juan de Letran at 2:30 p.m.
The defending champs eye to formalize its entry in the Final Four with a win, while the Knights fight for survival as the Final Four race tightens.
San Beda currently has a 10-5 win-loss card at the third spot, while the Intramuros-based squad has a 7-9 record at the sixth spot.
Letran head coach Allen Ricardo said they will try to limit their mistakes in the vital game.
"San Beda is San Beda, especially with Bismarck Lina, my former player sa UST. We'll try our best kasi ang galing talagang mag-execute ng San Beda eh. I'll try to limit them, just hoping na huwag lang pumutok 'yung tira nila sa labas. Sa akin, kumbaga kailangan pakontian ng mali," said Ricardo.
San Beda escaped Letran in the first round, 66-64.
—JKC, GMA Integrated News
