Letran looks to secure one of the top two spots and an outright semifinals berth when it takes on San Sebastian in the NCAA Season 97 today at the La Salle Green Hills Gym.
The Knights, the only unbeaten squad so far in the tournament, battle the Stags in the main event at 3 p.m., while an exciting clash between the San Beda Red Lions and the College of St. Benilde Blazers serves as appetizer at 12 noon.
Letran head coach Bonnie Tan hopes to pick up his team’s eighth win in as many games but remains wary of the dangerous San Sebastian side led by JM Calma who is having a stellar season so far with an average of league-best 16.55 points and 9.8 rebounds.
Calma also has a solid supporting cast in the likes of Ken Villapando, Ichie Altamirano and Rommel Calahat.
“Match yun kasi they have solid players rin talaga ang Baste, lahat ng mga talo nila close games so we’ll prepare hard for them sana mag click uli yung game plan namin mga coaches,” Tan said of the Stags who are coming into the game with a 3-5 record and their play-in hopes on the line.
San Sebastian is currently in a four-way logjam with Perpetual, Arellano and Emilio Aguinaldo College for the fifth spot.
A win could give the Stags an inside track on one of the last two play-in spots but they have to earn it against a dominant Knights squad spearheaded by Rhenz Abando, Fran Yu and Jeo Ambohot.
Meanwhile in the curtain-raiser, the Red Lions hope to avoid further complications in their bid for the top 2 seed after falling to Mapua, 68-54, last Saturday.
To secure the semis berth, San Beda needs to sweep its next two games or hope Mapua drops its final assignment against Lyceum. A possible tie between the Red Lions and the Cardinals at the No. 2 spot would have the latter taking the semis seat.