Loss to Saint Benilde a year ago still stings for Lyceum

Last September 23, the College of Saint Benilde Blazers were in the midst of a 17-game rot. The Taft-based squad needed to win their final game of the season to avoid setting a record for ignominy, of being the first-ever NCAA team to end a season winless.

They were able to do so winning their final assignment of the season, 65-61. But it came at the expense of Topex Robinson and the Lyceum Pirates.

For 312 days, the 37-year-old mentor waited for the opportunity to get one back against the Blazers. And once they had the opportunity to do so, they made sure to not let up.

“We remembered the time that they beat us last year. They were 1-17, and it came from us, so that’s the motivation for us,” shared the third-year Lyceum mentor after the Pirates’ 98-55 demolition of the Blazers.

The game itself was a blow out right from the get go, as the Pirates went on a 31-10 second quarter rally to blow the game wide open. Moreover, his squad went on to set season-highs for turnovers forced (40), fastbreak points (26), bench points (70), biggest lead (46), and biggest winning margin (43), while setting a school-mark for biggest winning margin and longest streak.

And even with the game out of reach, Lyceum continued to push the pedal. This is attributed to the culture Robinson has been trying to preach in Lyceum, which is to respect the game.

“Again, we want to make sure that we honor the game by always giving our best, not celebrating if we make a shot, we go back to playing defense,” the youthful mentor declared.

“Again, we made stops, we just tried to really play as hard as we can, whoever it is that we’re playing.”