San Beda finished atop of the NCAA standings for the eighth-straight year by beating Arellano on Saturday night 78-62 as the tournament heads into the Final Four.
The Lions spread the offense evenly, seeing five players in double digits, to tally its 15th in 18 outings, while the Chiefs’ four-game winning streak was snapped.
Next to San Beda on top of the standings is Letran, which fell short of claiming the top spot on the standings, after the Lions pulled a win off the Knights on Oct. 21.
Both teams are waiting for their opponents, with San Sebastian and University of Perpetual Help having identical 11-7 cards after the elimination round. The Stags and the Altas go head-to-head in a playoff on Nov. 7 to determine which team faces the Lions and the Knights.
In case you’re wondering why the NCAA isn’t over yet, the league expanded its membership a couple of years back. Three schools were admitted to the NCAA, while one school took an indefinite leave, bringing the competing teams to 10.
Each team plays against nine others for two rounds. The top four teams head into the Final Four, where the top-ranked teams enjoy a twice-to-beat advantage against the lower-seeded teams. The top team goes against the fourth-best, while the second- and third-placers have a matchup of their own.
Photo: NCAA
