Lyceum of the Philippines University has been the hottest team to start the NCAA Season 99 Seniors Basketball Tournament, going undefeated in its first five games.
The Pirates’ versatility and depth have been the driving forces behind their impressive run, with many different players on their squad making substantial contributions when needed.
Reigning Player of the Week Shawn Umali, athletic wing-man Enoch Valdez, fiery scorer John Barba, and versatile forward John Bravo have all taken their turns in the spotlight for Lyceum.
Despite their overall success, Coach Gilbert Malabanan had been eagerly waiting for one player, in particular, to step up.
After securing their fourth win of the season against San Sebastian College-Recoletos, Malabanan shifted his focus from the Pirates’ smooth-sailing performance to the struggles of one of their most crucial players: third-year guard Mclaude Guadaña.
“Talagang inaantay ko si Mclaude na pumutok eh. I give all the confidence to him. Pagdating ng crunch time talagang kakailanganin ko si Mclaude,” said Malabanan.
The 22-year-old, sweet-shooting combo guard out of Tagaytay City was a significant part of Lyceum’s Final Four run in Season 98.
Guadaña led Lyceum in scoring during Season 98, averaging 11.11 points with an impressive 35.78-percent three-point shooting rate.
In Season 99, Guadaña struggled to find the bottom of the net. Through Lyceum’s first four games, he averaged only 6.0 points with an uncharacteristic 3-of-21 from beyond the three-point line.
Malabanan knew it was only a matter of time before Guadaña found his rhythm again, and indeed, the 5-foot-11 shooter had his biggest game of the season when Lyceum needed him most.
Trailing by as much as 24 points against a desperate Arellano University squad, Guadaña dropped 20 points, including the three-pointer that sent the game into overtime, ultimately helping the Pirates secure a thrilling overtime win, 89-77.
With four triples in the game, Guadaña surpassed his three-point total from his first four games combined in just a single match.
With Guadaña back in his regular form, the rest of the nine schools in the NCAA have one more weapon to worry about in the undefeated Pirates’ arsenal.
