Mad scramble for NCAA Final Four
This is surely one of the most exciting NCAA seasons in recent years. With two playing days left in the calendar, the Final Four cast has not been sealed yet. Only defending two-time champion San Beda has secured the top spot, regardless of the outcome of its last assignment versus San Sebastian on Monday. The second, third and fourth spots are still up for grabs. San Sebastian, Letran, Jose Rizal U and Perpetual Help are the remaining schools in contention for the semis berths. Five others — Emilio Aguinaldo, Mapua, Arellano, St. Benilde and Lyceum — have all dropped out.
After yesterday's matches, JRU and UPHSD remained tied at fourth spot with identical 10-8 cards after both schools bowed to EAC and San Sebastian respectively. The Heavy Bombers and Altas will figure in a knockout encounter on Thursday for the last semis berth. The winner of that match faces the twice-to-beat Red Lions in the semis.
The losses of the Bombers and Altas yesterday towed SSC and Letran to the Final Four.
JRU could have obtained the fourth spot yesterday but met a hard-fighting EAC side that was out to finish the season with a bang. Last year, the Generals were at the bottom of the standings with a poor 4-14 record. But EAC was determined to redeem itself this season as it foiled the semis-seeking Bombers, 71-65, and ended its campaign with a decent 8-10 mark.
The Altas had a tougher assignment yesterday and likewise failed to secure the fourth slot outright after they succumbed to the Golden Stags, 62-80.
With SSC's win over Perpetual Help, it remains ahead of Letran in the battle for second place, which also enjoys a twice-to-beat edge. But the Knights have one more game left, against the Arellano Chiefs tomorrow. If the Knights win and the Stags lose to the Lions on Monday, both teams will be tied with a 12-6 slate. This means that Letran and San Sebastian will have to settle the score in a playoff game on Thursday as well to determine who gets the twice-to-beat advantage. It will be a virtual best-of-three series between the two schools for a finals berth.
In the semis, No. 1 meets No. 4, and No. 2 tangles with No. 3. San Beda is safely at first spot. If the Stags repeat over the Lions on Monday, they stay at No. 2 and will have a huge twice-to-beat edge versus the Knights in the semis.
Letran is expected to survive the Chiefs tomorrow. But Arellano is no pushover team and is capable of scoring an upset. Like EAC, the Chiefs are eager to improve on their record, which currently stands at 6-11. But if the Knights hurdle their last assignment in the elims, they can pray for a San Sebastian loss on Monday for a chance at the second spot.
Meanwhile, expect a grueling encounter between the Bombers and Altas on Thursday for the last semis ticket. Coach Aric Del Rosario's boys are hungry for a semis appearance which has eluded them for years. The last time the Altas figured in the Final Four was in 2004. But Coach Vergel Meneses and the rest of the Bombers are determined to get their sixth straight semis appearance. A shootout is expected between UPHSD's ace gunner Jet Vidal and JRU's awesome twosome Nate Matute and Byron Villarias. In the shaded area, a fierce battle is inevitable between Bomber Mark Lopez and Perpetual's Ariyo Babayemi. But the Altas will badly miss the services of Nigerian import Nosa Omorogbe, who was reportedly dropped from the roster after a spat with another team member. He averages 9.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals. But Earl Thompson has been remarkable for the Altas this season, with impressive norms of 12.2 markers, 6.6 boards, 4.2 assists and 2.3 steals per outing.
This should be a tight game even when the Altas will have a slight edge in bench depth and firepower. The Bombers' vaunted defense will have to be in full gear in this must-win game.
It will be a dogfight in the remaining NCAA games and only the toughest will remain standing when the smoke clears.
Editor's note: The blogger's views do not represent Yahoo! Southeast Asia's position on the topic or issue being discussed in this post.
More Yahoo! PH Sports blogs:
Sparks lose first leg of Singapore Cup
