Games on Monday
(The Arena, San Juan City)
10 a.m. - San Sebastian vs AUF (Jrs)
11:45 a.m.- Jose Rizal Perpetual Help (Jrs)
2 p.m.- San Sebastian vs AUF (Srs)
4 p.m.- Jose Rizal vs Perpetual Help (Srs)

Perfect 10.

That’s what San Sebastian College tries to achieve on Monday when it tangles with Angeles University Foundation in a battle between the leader and cellar dweller at the start of the second round of the 85th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.

Even if coach Ato Agustin decides to rest most of his starting unit, including their No. 1 scorer in Jimbo Aquino, the Stags should find no problem beating the Great Danes.

Game time is set at 2 p.m. with the Stags determined to stretch their winning run to 10.

For one, Agustin's bench is so deep that anyone from Gilbert Bulawan, Ian Sangalang, Raymond Maconocido, Dave Najorda, and Ronald Pascual can step up at any given time.

That was evident when Pascual, an unheralded transferee from Adamson, carried the team to a 77-74 win over Letran, a victory completed the Stags' 9-game sweep of the first round.

In that game, the 6-foot-3 Pascual played the hero's role as Aquino was hobbled by foul trouble. Pascual fired 10 of his 17 points in the payoff period to thwart the Knights gritty comeback.

Last year's runner-up Jose Rizal University, which finished third in the first round behind No. 2 San Beda (8-1), collides with the resurgent Perpetual Help Altas at 4 p.m.

The Altas blasted the Emilio Aguinaldo Generals, 86-79, for their third win against nine outings.

Aside from having a talented bench, statistics also favors the Stags against the Pampanga-based Danes. The Stags handily beat the Danes, 97-65, in their first round meeting last July 27.

Despite the positive things going their way, Agustin, however, doesn't want to take the Danes lightly.

“We’re not going to underestimate AUF but we will definitely shoot for as many wins as we can,” Agustin, a former PBA MVP, said.

The Recto-based dribblers will secure an outright finals berth if they complete an 18-game sweep of the elims.

If that happens, the second to fourth placers after the eliminations will fight it out for the other berth in a stepladder format.

But Agustin cautioned that it’s too early to think of a sweep.

“I’m not going to deny that we don’t want a sweep but I think its still a long way, we need to take it a game at time,” he said.

With its win the last time, Perpetual Help has already surpassed its 2-12 mark last season.