Games on Aug. 3 (The Arena, San Juan)
10 a.m. — MIT vs Perpetual (Jrs)
11:45 a.m. — SSC-R vs JRU (Jrs)
2 p.m. — MIT vs Perpetual (Srs)
4 p.m. — SSC-R vs JRU (Srs)

After breezing through six games without a single defeat, San Sebastian College and Jose Rizal University part ways today at the resumption of the 85th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.

The Stags and the Heavy Bombers collide at 4 p.m. with neither team holding a big advantage.

The Bombers, however, are expected to play their hearts out for their late former teammate Jayson Nocom who died in a motorcycle accident last week.

Mapua and Perpetual, meantime, cross path in the opener at 2 p.m. with both teams hoping to improve their 1-5 cards.

Monday’s match between two unbeaten  teams will also feature a showdown of the league’s top scorers.

The Bombers’ John Wilson and the Stags’ Jimbo Aquino, both three-point specialists, are tied on top of the scoring chart with identical norm of 20.8 points in their last six games.

Wilson shot 18-of-37 for a 48.6 clip while Aquino was 21-of-41 for a 51.2 clip.

Wilson’s clutch shooting has done wonders for JRU, particularly in their come-from-behind 83-78 win over the Cardinals last Wednesday.

With JRU holding a slim 75-74 lead with 1:44 left, the Bombers put the game away when the 6-foot-1 Wilson strung up 11 consecutive points that frustrated the hard-fighting Cardinals who led by as many as 18 points in the third period.

Wilson had three treys in that 11-1 spurt that gave the Bombers an 83-75 edge less than 20 ticks left, a cushion enough to seal the win where Wilson finished with 26 markers.

The sweet-shooting Aquino is likewise proving to be a vital piece in the Stags’ ambition to end a seven-year title drought.

In the team’s 97-65 blow out win over Angeles Foundation University last week, Aquino banged in 21 points which he highlighted with 8-of-13 shooting from the field.

JRU mentor Ariel Vanguadia admits they will have a hard time against SSC.

“We’re emotionally drained with the death of Nocom. But we’ll prepare hard against them. We know they are dangerous because they’ve beaten us in the pre-season,” said Vanguardia.

Vanguardia’s remark is understandable considering that the Ato Agustin-mentored SSC is the only team that has so far dealt the defending champion San Beda its lone setback, 83-77.

Agustin, however, is not flattered by Vanguardia’s comment and said they expect rough sailing.

“JRU is a tough team and with the death of their former teammate I think it just makes them tougher,” Agustin said.