When the Lyceum Pirates walked in the SM Mall of Asia Arena during the opening ceremony of NCAA Season 95, the Marcelino twins looked at the competition.
“Kanina nga sa parade, nakita namin, kami lang maliit kasi wala si Mike [Nzeusseu] e,” said Jaycee Marcelino.
“Sabi ni Jayvee [Marcelino], ‘Coach, tayo na pinaka maliit.’ Sabi ko nga sa kanila coming into the game we have two choices it’s either we lose by just being the smallest team or either we win by being the smallest team,” added head coach Topex Robinson.
Six-foot-six Cameroonian Mike Nzeusseu was still nursing a finger injury that made him miss opening day.
And it could not have gone at a worst time as the pint-sized Pirates were facing the Letran Knights, arguably the tallest team in the league.
Letran was leading the Pirates by as much as six points early in the final frame, imposing their height on Lyceum. Moreover, Jayson David, a 6-foot-3 swingman who was the squad’s makeshift center, was saddled with fouls as he defended the likes of 6-foot-5 Larry Muyang and 6-foot-6 Jeo Ambohot.
Seeing this, Reymar Caduyac asked something to Robinson. He wanted to guard Muyang.
“He even offered to guard Muyang so sabi ko tutal sa weight naman magkasing size kayo,” quipped Robinson.
“Yun nga kasi wala kaming big man tapos si Jayson tatlo na yung foul,” shared Caduyac, who stands at just 5-foot-9.
“Kami na lang yung dalawang big man kanina kaya sabi ko ako muna para hindi ka na ma-foul trouble.”
It did not come to fruition but Caduyac and the Pirates were able to overcome the Knights, 84-80.
It was not just their speed that stopped Letran but also the deliberate play by Caduyac.
“Binigay ni Coach Topex yung trust niya sa amin kaya pinalitan lang namin ng panalo talaga. Nung training namin, talagang mindset namin manalo e kahit wala kaming big man,” said Caduyac, who had 16 points, five rebounds, three assists, and a steal.
“Yung sa part na yun, credit yun sa mga kasama ko. Sinusuportahan ko sila at sinusuportahan nila ako. Kumbaga, kung gaano sila kabilis, ganun din ako kabagal. Tanggap naman nila kung gaano ako kabilis.”
“Kidding aside, he’s just an epitome of what this team is about. What we don’t have is the height. But what we do have is the strength and the guys playing together and playing as one,” closed Robinson.
