No revenge angle for Lyceum Pirates

The Lyceum Pirates are not looking for payback when they face the San Beda Red Lions in their NCAA men’s basketball championship duel starting next week.

Instead they are looking more to defining themselves as a renewed team this season. But the memories will be there.

Last season, the Pirates cruised to an outright finals berth via an 18game elimination sweep only to lose twice to the Red Lions in the finals.

Lyceum coach Topex Robinson said they have put that experience behind as his stalwarts look forward to maximizing this opportunity to get better.

“They are not driven by vengeance. It’s about setting the stage to show what they’ve got,” said Robinson.

The Pirates, seeded second in the semifinals, earned a return trip to the finals after dumping the third-ranked Letran Knights, 109-85, last Friday to face two-time champions Red Lions, who downed the University of Perpetual Help Altas, 83-72, in the other semis pairing.

While San Beda boasts of a championship experience with its 13th straight finals appearance this year, Robinson believes the best-of-three title showdown will be close.

The tournament is on a 10-day respite and Robinson said they are using this break to take a breather outside of the court.

“’Away time muna,” Robinson said. “We’re using this to bond together as a team because that is more important.”

Game 1 of their best-of-three series will be on Nov. 6 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.