Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
Lyceum continued to rip through the competition, eviscerating St. Benilde by 43 points, 98-55 in the NCAA Season 93 men’s basketball tournament Tuesday at Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan.
The Pirates coasted to their fifth straight victory, the school’s best start since joining the league in 2009, while also getting back at the Blazers after being the lone team to lose to the cellar-dwellers last year.
“We remembered the time they beat us last year. They were 1-17 and that’s the motivation for us,” said coach Topex Robinson.
Jaycee Marcelino starred anew in the game, firing 17 points on an efficient 7-of-9 shooting from the field, on top of seven rebounds and three assists, while Wilson Baltazar got himself going from beyond the arc, shooting 4-of-9 from threes to wind up with 16 markers.
But it was still CJ Perez who made things work for Lyceum, doing it all with his 14 points, seven dimes, six boards, four steals, and a block.
The Pirates went on a hot streak in the second quarter, turning a close 16-11 edge to a comfortable 47-21 lead after a scorching 31-point explosion in the second period before leading by as much as 46.
So in control was Lyceum that it forced St. Benilde to turn the ball over 40 times leading to 46 turnover points and 26 fast-break points.
Wealth was spread all over, too, with the bench joining in the party with 70 points as the Pirates shot 11-of-32 from beyond the arc.
Rookie Unique Naboa topped St. Benilde with 14 points as the Blazers incurred their third straight loss to fall down to 1-3.
The Scores:
LYCEUM 98 – Jc. Marcelino 17, Baltazar 16, Perez 14, Pretta 10, Tansingco 9, Jv. Marcelino 7, Nzeusseu 6, Caduyac 6, Marata 4, Ayaay 4, Santos 4, Serrano 1, Ibañez 0, Liwag 0.
ST. BENILDE 55 – Naboa 14, Leutcheu 7, Belgica 7, Johnson 6, San Juan 4, Bunyi 4, Young 3, Domingo 3, Pili 3, Castor 2, Suarez 2, Dixon 0, Sta. Maria 0, Mercado 0, Velasco 0.
Quarters: 16-11, 47-21, 68-34, 98-55.