Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — JRU Heavy Bombers and Mapua Cardinals clash for Final Four positioning on Friday (October 16) in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Bombers and the Cardinals face off at 4 p.m. with the winner clinching the third seed and a Final Four showdown with No. 2 Letran Knights and the loser ending up the No. 4 seed and a duel with No. 1 San Beda Red Lions next week.
Jose Rizal wound up tied for third to fifth places with Mapua and Arellano University on 12-6 (win-loss) records after the elimination round and played a waiting game after finishing with the highest quotient score of 20 points against latter two’s -1 and -20, respectively.
The Cardinals sealed the last Final Four spot after they routed the Chiefs, 93-75, Tuesday at the MOA Arena.
Now the two will have to settle who faces who in the Final Four.
“We don’t really think much of other teams because we’re focusing on our game and how we would win,” said Mapua’s Josan Nimes, who came out of slumber by firing 21 points in the win over Arellano.
Jose Rizal coach Vergel Meneses had the same line of thinking.
“Our goal is to play in the Final Four coming off a victory regardless of which team we face,” he said.
Nigerian Allwell Oraeme will be another player to watch after he dropped 13 points, 28 rebounds, six assists and three blocks on Arellano, a performance that should underline an impressive season.
“I just want to help my team win games,” said the 19-year-old Oraeme, who is tipped to become a rookie MVP this year and join Philippine Christian U’s Gabby Espinas (2004) and San Beda’s Sam Ekwe (2006) in the elite group.
