Lyceum of the Philippines University secured a twice-to-beat advantage in the upcoming Final Four of the NCAA Season 99 Seniors Basketball Tournament by defeating Arellano University 98-86 on Sunday at the Filoil Ecooil Centre.
The Pirates faced challenges in establishing a substantial lead. The persistent Chiefs consistently fought their way back into the game, narrowing the gap whenever Lyceum took the lead.
However, by the final buzzer, the Pirates emerged victorious.
During the fourth quarter, the Pirates held a lead of up to 17 points with 8:27 remaining after John Barba’s and-one brought the score to 85-68.
In typical Arellano fashion, the Chiefs staged a comeback, outscoring the Pirates 16-6 in the next four minutes.
They brought the lead to as low as seven points at 91-84 with 3:04 left, following a Lorenz Capulong triple.
The Pirates responded by limiting Arellano to just one more field goal, tightening their defense to secure the win.
“Oo nga ano, unang una, thank God for this win. Hindi kami mananalo kung hindi siya mamumuno sa amin. Second, we’re very happy na nandoon na kami sa number two. We earned the twice-to-beat, but the job is not done,” shared Pirates head coach Gilbert Malabanan after the victory.
He went on, “Simula pa lang iyan. Talagang tatahakin namin kasi sabi ko nga, this team, mayroon kaming goal na gusto naming makamit, at iyon talagang sinasabi ko sa players ko.”
Mclaude Guadana and John Barba led the scoring for the Pirates with 17 points each. Shawn Umali contributed 15 points, seven boards, and three blocks.
Meanwhile, Enoch Valdez recorded a double-double with 11 points, 15 boards, and five assists.
As the elimination rounds conclude, the Pirates aim to build more momentum for their upcoming match against San Beda University on Tuesday at 3:30 PM.
In his penultimate game in the NCAA, Jade Talampas finished with a near double-double, tallying 20 points and nine rebounds. He also had two assists, two steals, and a block.
Lorenz Capulong followed up with 17 points, six boards, and four assists.
Danielle Mallari and Lars Sunga contributed 14 and 12 points, respectively.
The Chiefs have one more game before heading into the offseason to prepare for Season 100 as they face San Sebastian College-Recoletos on Friday at 1:30 PM.
The Scores:
LPU 98– Guadana 17, Barba 17, Umali 15, Valde 11, Bravo 9, Montano 6, Penafiel 6, Omandac 6, Villegas 5, Cunanan 3, Moralejo 3, Versoza 0, Aviles 0
AU 86– Talampas 20, Capulong 17, Mallari 14, Sunga 12, Geronimo 6, Yanes 6, Camay 5, Lustina 2, Dela Cruz 2, Ongotan 2, Villarente 0, Dayrit 0, Tan 0, Rosalin 0
Quarterscores: 21-16, 51-44, 80-65, 98-86
