Lyceum Pirates installed as legit NCAA Season 93 contenders
OWING to their impressive showing in the preseason and the retooling they did from last year, the Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates have many in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) noticing, installing them as a legit contender when Season 93 rolls out this weekend.
Coached by former Philippine Basketball Association player Topex Robinson, the Pirates will now feature transferee from Ateneo CJ Perez, who many consider as a potential game- changer for the team, joining some solid holdovers from Season 92, including big man Mike Harry Nzeusseu, as well as other newcomers.
The preparation and buildup Lyceum has done are seemingly making things happen for the Intramuros- based school with the Pirates finishing third and the second best NCAA team in the recent Premier Cup that had teams from the NCAA and University Athletic Association of the Philippines competing.
Lyceum’s spirited showing in the preseason has many believing that it may now finally shed its middling ways in the country’s longest standing collegiate league and go deep in the tournament.
“We all know we’re one of the smallest teams in the NCAA but we have a system that puts premium on speed and aggressiveness to neutralize our size disadvantage,” said Mr. Robinson of the kind of team they will be having in Season 93.
For rival teams in the NCAA, considering where Lyceum is coming from it is no doubt a “darkhorse” in the upcoming tournament, hosted this year by San Sebastian College and with a theme of “NCAA Strong @ Season 93.”
“Considering what they have done in the preseason and how Coach Topex has established a solid identity and system with the team, Lyceum is a team to contend with this year,” said comebacking NCAA coach Boyet Fernandez of defending champion San Beda College during the press conference for Season 93 last Monday.
He was seconded by coach Egay Macaraya of host San Sebastian, who lined up the Pirates among the top teams to give perennial favorites like San Beda and Arellano a tough challenge.
“Lyceum should be up there with the improvement it is showing and should challenge San Beda and Arellano,” the Stags coach said.
For Mr. Robinson, their newfound “weight” in the NCAA scheme of things is something they are embracing and taking on as a challenge.
“It has always been our vision to have a winning culture in Lyceum. We’re not yet there but we are on our way. We welcome the challenge as a darkhorse and we will control what we can control and let’s see where it leads us,” said Mr. Robinson, whose team has not finished better than sixth place since joining the league in 2011.
He went on to say that they are aiming for a Final Four spot and go deeper if possible.
“Who wouldn’t want to play in the Final Four and win a championship? But we can’t get ahead of ourselves and drown ourselves with a glass of water. We have to keep working harder to achieve it,” he said.
NCAA Season 93 kicks off on Saturday, July 8, at the Mall of Asia Arena. Games will be broadcast live over S+ A and S+A HD and via livestreaming on sports. abscbn.com.