Lyceum of the Philippines University rebounded from a three-game losing streak to secure back-to-back victories, defeating the underdog final four contender Emilio Aguinaldo College, 81-78, in the NCAA Season 99 Seniors Basketball Tournament on Saturday at the Filoil Ecooil Centre.
The Pirates sought redemption against EAC, having suffered an overtime defeat to the Generals in their first-round encounter, with a final score of 76-83.
Kyle Ochavo proved to be a thorn in the Pirates’ side, delivering a career-best performance in the first half, contributing 14 points that allowed the Generals to take a slim halftime lead of 43-42.
The game continued to ebb and flow until a critical moment in the fourth quarter when Umandac sank a three-pointer with 2:37 remaining, giving the Pirates a six-point advantage at 74-68. The Generals managed to narrow the lead to one, at 78-79, thanks to a three-pointer from Ochavo, but there were only eight seconds left on the clock.
The Pirates executed the inbound play in the ensuing possession, and Villegas calmly sank two free throws. EAC called a timeout to devise a final play for the last three seconds of the game, but JP Maguliano’s three-point attempt to tie the game fell short.
After the game, Pirates head coach Gilbert Malabanan emphasized his team’s resilience, saying, “Instructions ko sa kanila, you know naman my team, they never give up. Thats the good thing kung ano yung nakikita niyo, hindi sila naggi-giveup.
“Sabi ko sa halftime masyado silang tight nung first half. I told them let’s enjoy the game, kasi kung nageenjoy kayo ang gagaganda ng mga pasahan niyo, naghahanap kayo ng libre, and the good thing is my players responded well,” the third-year head coach continued.
The Pirates faced significant roster setbacks as three key players were sidelined due to injuries. In addition to team captain Enoch Valdez missing the entire game due to fever, the Pirates lost two important forwards, John Barba and John Bravo.
Barba sustained an ankle sprain in the second quarter, while Bravo had to be carried off the court later in the game. Nevertheless, the bench players, including Jearlan Omandac, Renz Villegas, and Alvin Penafiel, stepped up admirably to shoulder the scoring load for Lyceum.
Omandac had a stellar performance, contributing 24 points and grabbing nine rebounds for the Pirates. Villegas added 13 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, while Penafiel chipped in with 12 points.
With this crucial victory, the Pirates secured a solid position in the Final Four race, avoiding a middle-of-the-pack scenario alongside Jose Rizal University (7-4), College of Saint Benilde (6-4), and EAC (6-5). Their record improved to 8-3, elevating them to the second spot in the standings with a half-game advantage over San Beda.
The top two teams in the league are set to clash, as Lyceum faces Mapua University on Friday at 4:00 p.m.
Emilio Aguinaldo College’s rookie guard, Ochavo, finished with 21 points, eight rebounds, and six assists despite being the smallest player on the court. Nat Cosejo contributed a double-double of 23 points and 11 boards, while JP Maguliano added 13 points of his own.
King Gurtiza and Ralph Robin struggled to score against the Pirates’ defense, with Robin going scoreless and Gurtiza limited to just five points on 2-of-11 shooting.
This loss dealt a significant blow to the Generals’ hopes of reaching their first final four, as they fell to a 6-5 record, now trailing behind Benilde by half a game and JRU by a full game. They have a matchup against Colegio de San Juan de Letran awaiting them on Friday at 2:00 p.m.
The Scores:
LPU 81 – Omandac 24, Villegas 13, Penafiel 12, Umali 8, Cunanan 7, Barba 7, Fuentes 4, Bravo 2, Guadana 2, Montano 2, Aviles 0
EAC 78 – Cosejo 23, Ochavo 21, Maguliano 13, Gurtiza 5, Tolentino 5, Quinal 5, Angeles 3, Doria 2, Umpad 1, Robin 0, Luciano 0, Loristo 0, Bacud 0
Quarterscores: 26-20, 42-43, 60-54,81-78
