By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter
THE LETRAN KNIGHTS, Perpetual Help Altas, and College of St. Benilde Blazers, teams that have solid shot at landing a spot in the Final Four in Season 94 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), are featured in the triple-header set for today at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.
Letran (9-4), currently at third place, takes on the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers in the last game of the day in seniors play at 4 p.m. Preceding it are Perpetual Help (8-5) at 12 noon against the Mapua Cardinals and St. Benilde (8-5) versus the Emilio Aguinaldo Generals at 2 p.m.
Winning their last two games which has helped their push for the playoffs, the Knights are looking to continue its charge forward with a win over the already-eliminated Bombers (2-12).
Muralla-based Letran’s most recent win came over EAC on Tuesday, 91-82, where it showed steady composure and aggressiveness throughout the match to lord it over the Generals.
It was a big win for the Knights, allowing it to stay ahead of their closest pursuers in the Altas and Blazers.
“This was a good win for us. It kept us ahead by at least one game of our closest pursuers. But we should not be complacent, we still have to work and prepare for our next game,” said Letran coach Jeff Napa following their win over EAC.
Perpetual Help, for its part, has racked three straight victories to will themselves back in the playoff picture.
Prior to this latest win streak of theirs, the Altas dropped three in a row.
Now back in the groove, Perpetual Help is out to win four straight at the expense of Mapua (4-9), who is coming off a loss in their last game.
The Altas won over JRU, 85-73, last time around, which had them leading from wire-to-wire.
Altas coach Frankie Lim said they have put themselves in a good position and must now seize the moment and take it to another level.
“I think we are in good shape. I told the players the opportunity [for a Final Four spot] is already presenting itself to them and they just have to embrace it,” Mr. Lim said.
The Blazers, meanwhile, have slowed down a bit, losing two straight before getting back on the winning track in their last game against the Arellano Chiefs, 89-73.
Fil-Am rookie Justin Gutang fired 23 points and spiked it with five boards, six assists and three steals to lead St. Benilde in the win.
Facing the Blazers today are the Generals (2-11), who are already eliminated from the race and have lost seven straight matches.

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