THERE will be no tomorrow when defending champion San Beda College and Jose Rizal University clash today in the rubber match of their best-of-three duel for the 84th NCAA men’s basketball crown at the Araneta Coliseum.

While the Red Lions are bidding to complete a three-peat, the Heavy Bombers, in the finals after seven years, are seeking their first championship in 36 years.

Game 3 will start at 3 p.m.

The Red Lions, who beat Letran for the title last year, took the series opener via a 72-68 victory last Wednesday but the Heavy Bombers, who last won the title in 1973, forced a sudden death and grabbed the momentum by hacking out a backbreaking 62-60 triumph two days later.

San Beda coach Frankie Lim believes heart and determination, not momentum, will spell the difference in the title match.

"I don’t think momentum matters now. We won Game 1, we had the momentum, but JRU won (Game 2) and evened the series. We’ll make some corrections and I’ll get these guys ready. Todo na ito," said Lim.

Jose Rizal coach Ariel Vanguardia, aware that San Beda is hell-bent on retaining the title, knows they have to work doubly hard to win the crown.

"They’re a very strong team; they have so many weapons. We have to find ways to stop San Beda. They are a champion team and we’re expecting them to make some adjustments and we’ll come up with adjustments as well," Vanguardia said.

Pong Escobal backstopped the Lions with 16 points in Game 2 but failed to lead his team to victory, missing a wide-open three pointer in the final 5.4 seconds.

The veteran guard is expected to make amends today with the help of Season MVP Sam Ekwe, Ogie Menor and Borgie Hermida.