AFTER
three postponed games, College of St. Benilde is raring to see action as it goes for a share of the lead when it tangles with Arellano University in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament on Tuesday at The Arena in San Juan.
The last time CSB played was on July 30 when it downed San Sebastian College-Recoletos, 77-72.
And that is a concern for CSB coach TY Tang since their momentum has been derailed by bad weather.
Tang is hoping the weather will cooperate this time as they bid to tie the San Beda University Lions for the lead at 5-0.
The game between Blazers and the Chiefs is set at 4 p.m., right after the 2 p.m. encounter featuring the Mapua Cardinals and the Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals at 4 p.m.
Mapua is fresh from a 73-64 win against host school Arellano last Saturday that snapped a five-game skid, tying its victim and EAC for eighth to 10th places in the standings.
Focus, however, is on the Blazers who will welcome Justin Gutang back in the fold after the veteran forward missed the previous game due to a knee injury.
“We expect him to be play against Arellano. We didn’t play for almost two weeks, and that gave him time to recover,” said Tang, who is now on his third season with the Blazers.
The league has already cancelled three playing dates this month.
In the three playing dates, all these involved CSB matches since the Blazers were supposed to face the Red Lions last Aug. 2, the Letran Knights last Aug. 6 and the Bombers of Jose Rizal University last Friday.
“We just kept on practicing during that two-week period. Now it’s time for us to buckle down to work against. We expect a tough game against Arellano – nothing is easy here in the league. We always have to grind it out,” added Tang, a former PBA player for Rain or Shine.
Arellano, on the other hand, has not tasted victory since an 86-77 triumph versus EAC late last month as the Chiefs lost a close match against the Perpetual Help Altas last July 30, 75-73, and to the Cardinals. (Waylon Galvez)