Lyceum of the Philippines University and Jose Rizal University clash in a duel of the two hottest teams in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the Filoil EcoOil Centre Friday.
The Pirates are on a league-best five-game winning run, while the Bombers are on a four-game roll.
Game time at 3 p.m.
San Beda seeks to get back on the winning track as it plays Arellano University in the first game at 12 noon.
A win by the Pirates over the Bombers will give them a piece of the lead.
College of Saint Benilde, which has a pair of three-game winning streaks in the tournament, is on top of the standings with a 6-1 record.
LPU is coming off its biggest win of the season, a 82-75 conquest of defending champion Letran. The Pirates have yet to drop a game since opening their campaign with a 69-86 loss to the Blazers.
After a 0-2 start, JRU went on a tear and zoomed in the top four.
The Bombers are fresh from a 83-80 conquest of the Red Lions, tying their victims at 4-2 in third place.
With a talented mix of young guns in Mac Guadaña, John Barba and Gyle Montaño and veterans in Renzo Navarro and Enoch Valdez, JRU is bracing for a tough battle with LPU.
“The defense is there already. It is just really what we need to work on yung iba’t ibang combinations ko sa loob. Dito ko makikita iyon, who will be the next man up,” said Bombers coach Louie Gonzalez.
Agem Miranda, Joshua Guiab, John Amores, William Sy and Ry dela Rosa are doing their respective roles for JRU, as Gonzalez is looking for other contributors aside from his usual rotation to keep the streak going.
The Chiefs are wary of a patented Red Lions fightback from a tough loss.
Arellano, which is currently tied with University of Perpetual Help System Dalta at 4-3, defeated Mapua, 64-59, to snap a two-game slide.