JOSE Rizal University and Racal hope to stay unbeaten when they take on separate foes in the PBA D-League Aspirants' Cup at the JCSGO Gym on Monday.
The Heavy Bombers will battle slumping AMA Online Education in the 1 p.m. match, following the clash between the Tile Masters and Batangas at 11 a.m.
While he is happy with his team's 2-0 start, JRU coach Vergel Meneses hopes his team won't succumb to complacency opposite a dangerous side led by Jeron Teng and Juami Tiongson.
"Marami pang kailangang ayusin, lalo na sa execution," Meneses said.
"It's going to be a battle of execution. Yung defense namin, nandyan na so kailangan na lang namin sila ma-limit sa opensa," he added
AMA coach Mark Herrera, on the other hand, is hell-bent on ending the Titans' two-game slide.
"Pag natalo pa kami sa JRU, bababa kami. Ang habol namin outright semis at twice-to-beat. Dito kami magsisimula sa JRU at sana magtuloy-tuloy na," said Herrera, whose team fell to fifth place after two straight losses.
Meanwhile, Racal rides the crest of a back-to-back victories as it squares off with an unpredictable Batangas side.
But the Tile Masters are not taking any team lightly.
“We underestimated them. We learned so much from this game and it really shows that you can't take anyone lightly dito," said Racal coach Jerry Codinera after his team escaped past AMA.
Although lacking in firepower, coach Eric Gonzales is hopeful the Batangueños will hold their own against a championship-caliber team like Racal.
"Expected finalist at malakas yan. We just want to play fair, decent, and wag lang sana kaming matambakan," said coach Eric Gonzales.