San Sebastian College and Jose Rizal University play separate rivals today, looking to keep their share of the lead in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the Arena in San JuanCity.
The Stags go up against Emilio Aguinaldo College at 4 p.m. while the Heavy Bombers tangle with College of Saint Benilde at 6 p.m. as they both shoot for their seventh wins in eight outings.
The Stags, behind the big games of Calvin Abueva, Ian Sangalang and Ronald Pascual, are on a roll with six straight wins capped by a 91-70 trampling of  Arellano University last Saturday.

STA. CRUZ, Laguna — Emilio Aguinaldo College’s Jan Jamon muffed an open three-point shot in the last two seconds, allowing Letran College to escape with a 65-62 victory yesterday in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at the San Luis Sports Complex here.
That big break in the last two seconds was all the Knights needed in posting their first back-to-back wins this season and improve their win-loss slate to 3-3, while sending the Chiefs reeling to their fifth setback against a loss to remain at the cellar.
The Knights saw their 12-point cushion in first quarter vanish in a wink of an eye. They were able to build a 13-point lead midway in the payoff period, but wasted it just the same, leaving coach Louie Alas all the more disappointed.
“If you want to go to the next level, you need to have the killer instinct,” said Alas, visibly disappointed with the way the Knights tackled the Chiefs. “We have to play as men, hindi kami puwedeng maglaro na parang bata especially as endgame.”
College of Saint Benilde, relying on Carlo Lastimosa for the big baskets in the extension, drubbed Arellano University, 80-73, to check its two-game skid in the only other seniors match of this first ever road games of the storied league.
Lastimosa came away with six of his 17 points in the extension period to help the Blazers wrap up their third win in seven outings good for sixth place. The Chiefs went down to their fourth loss against two wins to drop to eighth place.

Games tomorrow:
(San Luis Sports Complex, Sta. Cruz, Laguna)
1 p.m. — Letran vs EAC (Srs.)
3 p.m. — AU vs CSB (Srs.)

San Sebastian College continued its amazing run in the NCAA yesterday but not after being dragged in a tough contest by Lyceum of the Philippines University which played with a lot of fire.
The Stags found the Pirates a tough nut to crack and had to lean on Ronald Pascual for the big baskets to pull off an 87-79 win over the Pirates for a share of the lead at the Arena in San Juan City.
The Stags were in the lead for most of the way, although they could not seem pull away for good. The multi-titled Stags finally found their game in the fourth quarter thanks to Pascual.
“Late na kami naka-pick up,” said Stags coach Topex Robinson after the game. “We really expected that they (Pirates) will play their hearts out. They came from a loss to Arellano University, so we know they will come out with guns blazing.”
Pascual knocked in a career-high 32 points and was there to clear the Stags out of harm when the game was on the line.
The hardworking Pascual unloaded three consecutive three-point shots to help the Stags get out of trouble and posted a 78-73 lead late in the fourth period.
The Stags then gamely protected the lead on the way to grabbing a piece of the lead with San Beda College with the win, their fourth straight since dropping their opening day game to host Letran College.
Ian Sangalang scored 20 points and added 16 rebounds for SSC, which won despite missing 25 of 48 free throws.
Pascual actually struggled early in the game, but soon found his groove upon the prodding of coach Robinson.
“Sabi ni coach, tumira ka lang. Kailangang bumawi, salamat at nakakalibre ako sa pick and rolls,” said Pascual, who has fully recovered from an off-season ACL injury.
Reigning MVP Calvin Abueva also delivered the goods for SSC, scoring 16 points that went with 23 rebounds and 10 assists for his third career triple-double.
Chris Cayabyab and Shane Ko unloaded 20 points apiece for Lyceum, which went down to its fifth loss in seven outings.
Nick Abanto had 24 points and 14 rebounds as the Jose Rizal Light Bombers nipped the Perpetual Help Junior Altas, 89-87, for their second win in five outings.     
In juniors play, the San Sebastian Staglets drubbed the Lyceum Junior Pirates, 136-15, to tie titleholder San Beda Red Cubs on top with a 5-0 card.
Michael Calisaan finished with 32 points, 15 rebounds and two steals, while Rhanzel Yong had 22 markers, 13 rebounds and two assists for the Staglets, who held the Junior Pirates scoreless in the final 10 minutes of play.