Pirates battle Altas with an eye on 13th win
THE lone unblemished team in Season 93 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates play the University of Perpetual Help Altas today with an eye on maintaining their solid form and racing to their 13th win in as many games.
Serving as the curtain-raiser in seniors’ play at 2 p. m. at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan City, the Lyceum-Perpetual Help clash will have the Pirates trying to sustain their best start in the country’s longest-standing collegiate league since joining it in 2011 and move a step closer to achieving a rare sweep of the elimination round.
It has been a total team effort for Topex Robinson-coached Lyceum so far in the tournament, allowing it to fashion out varying attacks and find ways to win.
CJ Perez has been leading the charge of the Pirates, averaging 18.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, three assists and 1.3 steals in 12 games to date, making him one of the favorites in the most valuable player of the tournament race.
Rookie Jaycee Marcelino has been chipping in 11.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.3 steals while Mike Nzeusseu has been a steady double- double presence with numbers of 11 points and 10.7 rebounds.
Skipper MJ Ayaay is the other Pirate scoring in double digits with 10.25 points on top of 7.4 rebounds.
In its last game against the Arellano University Chiefs, Lyceum risked losing its first game but managed to dig deep and buck things in the end to pull off the win, 94-92.
Playing sans main man Perez in the last two minutes after fouling out, Ayaay took charge for his team, including scoring the go-ahead basket with 7.4 seconds remaining to give his team a 9391 lead, a situation that Lyceum would capitalize on thereafter en route to the victory.
“What this win proved is that Lyceum is not just a CJ Perez team. And that others can step up and lead us,” said Mr. Robinson after their gutsy win last Friday.
RETURN TO WINNING
On the part of Perpetual Help (47), which lost to the College of St. Benilde Blazers, 83-55, also last Friday, it is angling to go back on the winning track while staying in the mix in the middle of the pack to still get a shot at the last two Final Four positions.
Against St. Benilde, the Las Piñas-based Altas just did not get their game going, trailing right from the get- go all the way to the end.
The lost saw Perpetual Help swept by the Blazers this season after giving away its first-round victory due to forfeiture.
Nobody scored in double figures for the Altas in their recent loss, with Keith Pido the high point man with nine points.
Meanwhile, in the second game at 4 p.m., Season 93 hosts San Sebastian Stags (5-6) are out to maintain their sight of the top four, taking on St. Benilde (3-9). —