LYCEUM has not lost in its last 25 elimination round games - and the rest of the NCAA knew it.
That’s why after hulking Letran took defending champion San Beda to the distance in their overtime loss a week ago, the Knights knew they had a shot at beating the Pirates in their next game.
Last Friday, MJ Ayaay shot that hope down.
With Lyceum down 65-76 in the final six minutes, the graduating forward led the Pirates back by scoring six of his season-high 20 points in the final stretch.
Playing alongside top star CJ Perez, Ayaay helped the Season 93 finalists turn an 11-point deficit into an 85-81 win - their eighth in a row for Season 94 and 26th overall going back to the elims last season.
The Lyceum captain also added four rebounds and two steals off the bench en route to being named the NCAA Press Corps Player of the Week.
The Pirate senior bested Perpetual’s Kim Aurin, San Beda’s Javee Mocon, JRU’s Jed Mendoza, and St. Benilde’s Justin Gutang for the weekly award.
“Ramdam na ramdam namin yung mga ibang team na gusto kaming talunin,” said Ayaay, who averaged just 7.7 points a game on 32-percent shooting prior to the game.
“Sabi ko lang sa kanila, enjoy lang. The past few games hindi na kami nag-iismile. Feeling namin palagi pagod kami at nakokontento kami. Kailangan lang namin i-enjoy yung laro.”
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