Games Thursday Finals (Araneta Coliseum)
2 p.m. — San Beda vs Letran (Jrs)
4 p.m. — San Beda vs San Sebastian (Srs)

If there’s one thing that worries San Beda coach Frankie Lim going into their 85th NCAA basketball finals duel against San Sebastian College on Thursday, it’s Jimbo Aquino.

“He’s the marked man,” said Lim of Aquino, the Stags’ team captain and scoring leader. “We have to stop or contain him to have a great chance.”

Lim’s comment about Aquino, who norms 19.6 points per game, is understandable considering the tangible and intangibles things that he brings to the Stags whenever they are in big games.

And that was proven in the Stags’ dominating 79-64 win over Jose Rizal University last Monday, which brought them back to the finals for the first time in six years.

“He’s the focal point of the team,” Lim added during yesterday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s UN Ave. branch. “He makes the team complete.”

The Stags, like the Red Lions, carried a twice to beat advantage in the Final Four, but were not able to wrap up a finals berth right away after falling prey to the Bombers, 72-65, last Friday which forced Monday’s rubber match.

In Friday’s game, the Stags, who missed Aquino as he was serving a one-game suspension, were nowhere near the form that allowed them to record the league’s longest winning record at 15.

When he came back last Monday, he took charge of the Stags’ offense, shooting 14 points and providing badly needed leadership.

The Lions and the Stags start their best-of-three title series beginning Thursday at 2 p.m. at the Araneta Coliseum.

Lim, whose squad reached the finals after beating Letran in their own Final Four showdown, said though SSC is a talented team, he thinks they still have the edge in their highly-anticipated match.

“We have the championship experience,” said Lim of the defending three-peat champions.