San Beda’s Rome dela Rosa bumps into College of St. Benilde’s RJ Argamino as he drives to the basket during their NCAA showdown Monday. The Red Lions streaked to their 9th straight win following an 89-70 win. (Photo by BOB DUNGO, JR.)

Games on Wednesday (The Arena, San Juan City)
10 a.m. — Perpetual vs JRU (Jrs)
12 noon — Letran vs MIT (Jrs)
2 p.m. — Perpetual vs JRU (Srs)
4 p.m. — Letran vs MIT (Srs)

Jose Rizal University guns for its fourth straight win against the winless University of Perpetual Help this Wednesday in the 86th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.

Since dropping a 72-59 loss to defending champion San Sebastian College last July 30, the Heavy Bombers have been on a roll, stringing up three consecutive victories to firmly hold on the third spot at 7-2.

San Beda remains on top with an 8-0 record followed by the Stags with a 7-1 mark.

Even JRU coach Vergel Meneses acknowledged the team’s improvement following their streak at the expense of Emilio Aguinaldo College (74-70), Mapua (84-80) and Letran (76-60).

“We’re gradually seeing the potential of this team. From 60 percent the last time, we’re now at 70 percent,” Meneses said after their lopsided win against Letran last Friday.

Game time is 2 p.m. with the Mandaluyong-based Bombers heavily-favored against the Altas, who have yet to secure their first win after dropping their first eight games.

The Knights (3-6) try to rebound from that loss when they collide with the fourth-running Cardinals (5-4) at 4 p.m.

Mapua is hoping to snap a two-game slide capped by a 72-76 defeat at the hands of Arellano University in game marred by a near-fight last Friday.

The Cardinals, however, will enter the court this Wednesday minus Ray Cabrera, who was slapped by a two-game suspension for his involvement in the near-brawl.

In that game last Friday, Mapua’s Andretti Stevens and Erwin Cornejo and Arellano’s Vergel Zulueta and Andrian Celada figured in trash talk at centercourt, which turned into a shoving match. Arellano’s Erwin Catapang later joined the fray and threw the leather on Cabrera, who retaliated by throwing a punch.

Aside from Cabrera, Catapang was also slapped with a two-game suspension while Zulueta got a one-game ban for “instigating the near-fight.”

Third year guard Nate Matute is expected to lead the Bombers after producing a breakout performance last time.

Averaging only 4.8 points in the first round eliminations, Matute came off the bench to fire a career-high 22 points that helped the Bombers erased a 42-23 lead and 11 in the fourth to secure their first win in the second round against the Knights.

“Finally he delivered,” Meneses said of his ward, who went 7-of-11 from the floor in 27 minutes of play. “He played a lot of minutes primarily because he was playing good defense and fortunately, he made a lot of his shots, too.”