Sweet redemption.
The Lyceum of the Philippines University Pirates placed themselves to basketball immortality when they defeated the San Beda University Red Lions 70-66 in the National Championship Game of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League Thursday night from the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.
In a rematch of last season’s National Collegiate Athletic Association Finals, Lyceum fought off a 13-point deficit in the first quarter and relied on their defense and gang rebounding mentality to take control for the rest of the way. The Red Lions were limited to just nine points in the fourth quarter and was outrebounded by 14 for the game. San Beda also had a hard time finding the touch from three-point distance, only making 3 out of 13 attempts.
It was sort of exorcising the ghosts of Lyceum’s grueling loss at the NCAA tournament, where the 18-0 Pirates got swept in the best of three championship series at the hands of the Red Lions.
Jaycee Marcelino was named as the Finals Most Valuable Player with 19 points in the ball game, including his jumper from the left elbow to stretch the lead to six and essentially sealed the game for Lyceum with only 46 seconds remaining. He also hauled in 9 rebounds and dished out two assists in the victory.
Topex Robinson becomes the first head coach in PCCL history to win two titles with two schools. He won a National Championship in 2011 as the lead tactician of the San Sebastian Stags.
It has been a steady ascent to the top for the Pirates From finding themselves at the lower echelon of the standings for so many years since joining the NCAA in 2011, to being considered one of college basketball’s top contenders, thanks in part to the arrival of the versatile swingman CJ Perez and the tutelage of Robinson.
BOX SCORE (FIBA LiveStats)
Lyceum of the Philippines: JC Marcelino 19, Nzeusseu 16, Tansingco 9, Perez 8, Ibanez 5, Pretta 5, JV Marcelino 5, Santos 2, Ayaay 1, Caduyac 0, Serrano 0.
San Beda: Mocon 24, Tankoua 13, Presbitero 9, Penuela 6, Cabanag 4, Ndzana 4, Doliguez 3, Soberano 2, Ejercito 1, Abuda 0, Tongco 0, Carino 0.
QUARTERSCORES: 13-21, 39-35, 54-57, 70-66