Game on Thursday (Chiang Kai Shek gym, Tondo)
6 p.m. — St. Jude vs Xavier

Kevin Lim and Jose Anton Manuel came through with clutch baskets as Xavier School outsteadied St. Jude Catholic School, 82-77, and moved nearer to sweeping the 2010 Freego-Metro Manila Tiong Lian Basketball Association (MMTLBA) tournament Wednesday at the Jacinto Tiu Court of Xavier School.

The Golden Stallions bucked the injury suffered by leading scorer Jeron Teng in the first quarter (ankle) to withstand St. Jude's last-ditch rally and take the opener of their best-of-three championship in the event presented by Fresh Gear Revolution Denim.

The San Juan City-based squad can clinch their seventh title and their second three-peat feat in a decade with another win on Thursday at the Chiang Kai Shek College gym in Tondo, Manila.

The win likewise extended Xavier's winning run to 18 dating back to its championship duel with many-time champion Chiang Kai Shek College two years ago.

Meanwhile, Xavier, drawing another inspired performance from Jarrell Lim and Vincent Soliven, captured its eighth straight championship in the Aspirants Division by downing  Chiang Kai Shek, 76-66, in the tournament backed by Fern-C, 100 Plus Isotonic Sports Drink, Outlast Battery, Rusty Lopez, Puma, Converse, Burlington, Davis Paint, MEC Computer, Molten, Bantex Sandals, and Bow & Wow the Natural Pets Food Store.