LYCEUM is turning out to be the most surprising team early in the NCAA Season 98 men’s basketball tournament after claiming another big scalp in San Beda, 89-81, in the Filoil Flying V Center last Saturday.
Lyceum vs San Beda recap
Twice the Red Lions tried to break the game wide open in the second half and twice the Pirates stormed back – and when they rallied the second time out, they made sure to finish the job.
“I give credit to my players talaga. They played with heart, they really want to win talaga. Sila ang naglalaro dun at binibigay talaga nila yung best nila. Nakita ko talaga how they’re playing as a team,” Lyceum head coach Gilbert Malabanan said.
“That’s the good thing about this team. Sinasacrifice nila yung score nila, they give up the ball dun sa teammates nila na libre. That’s the good thing about the players now, yung maturity andun na sa kanila.”
The Red Lions actually took a 15-point lead in the first half, and once again led by 14 to open the third following back to back three pointers from Damie Cuntapay and James Kwetkuteye.
With over six minutes remaining in the fourth, the Red Lions still led 76-68 after a Peter Alfaro three point play, but that only set the stage for Lyceum’s grand comeback.
The Pirates finished the game with a 21-5 rally behind the exploits of rookie Gyle Montano and Mac Guadana who drained two three pointers apiece while combining for 14 points in that stretch.
Montano’s three pointer with 3:06 left in the game gave the Pirates the lead for good, 84-81 before letting their defense do the rest as they kept the Red Lions scoreless in the final four minutes of the game.
“Sa training palang sinasanay na namin yung sarili namin na kahit ilan ang lamang, hindi kami nadodown at magstick sa gameplan namin,” Montano said. “Tapos yun nag-bunga naman yung disiplina namin na di mag-give up sa game at maganda ang naging resulta.”
Montano led the way for the Pirates with 18 points on 4-5 shooting from three while Enoch Valdez continued to work his way back to fitness with 17 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks.
Burly bigman Shawn Umali added 14 points as John Barba made all of his five shots to score 12 points.
After dropping their opener against St. Benilde, the Pirates have now won consecutive games against two semi finalists as this win came after their 76-67 upset over last year’s finalist Mapua.
JB Bahio led the way for the now 1-2 Red Lions as he finished with 19 points and five rebounds while Cuntapay hit all of his five threes for 16 points in the losing effort.
The Scores:
Lyceum 89 – Montano 18, Valdez 17, Umali 14, Barba 12, Villegas 8, Guadaña 7, Peñafiel 6, Cunanan 4, Larupay 2, Navarro 1, Bravo 0, Omandac 0.
San Beda 81 – Bahio 19, Cuntapay 16, Kwekuteye 15, Alfaro 13, Ynot 10, Cortez 8, Sanchez 0, Andrada 0, Cometa 0, Visser 0, Jopia 0, Tagala 0, Llarena 0.
Quarters: 16-27, 40-48, 66-65, 89-81