The penultimate playdate of the NCAA Season 102 men’s basketball elimination round takes place on Thursday, November 5, at the San Juan Arena, featuring high-stakes matchups for playoff positioning.
San Beda Seeks Fourth Straight Win
Reigning champion San Beda aims to extend its winning streak to four games and strengthen its bid for a quarterfinal bonus when it faces Lyceum at 5:00 p.m.
Coming off a hard-fought 61-57 victory over Mapua, the Red Lions hold an 8-3 record. A win against the Pirates (4-7) would break San Beda’s tie with the College of Saint Benilde Blazers in Group A.
In their last outing, head coach Yuri Escueta relied on strong performances from Daniel Marcelo, JC Bonzalida, John Bismarck Lina, and RC Calimag to offset offensive struggles from rookie standout Sean Torculas. Meanwhile, Lyceum looks to bounce back from a 107-103 loss to CSB, banking on Matthew Rubico and Renz Villegas to avoid the play-in round.
Letran Looks to Keep Momentum Alive
In the other matchup, the already quarters-bound Letran Knights (8-3) shoot for their fifth consecutive victory as they battle the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals (5-6).
Despite playing without star guard Titing Manalili, the top-seeded Group B Knights cruised to a 91-77 rout of Arellano last week behind a potent offense and suffocating defense. Letran will look to Denzil Walker, Jimboy Estrada, and Chad Gammad to maintain that momentum, while EAC fights to secure a crucial advantage against Arellano in Group B.