Lyceum may be favored to complete a first-round sweep against tailender Mapua, but coach Topex Robinson wants his Pirates to remember how they nearly absorbed a first loss against Letran.
Robinson said the scare—where Lyceum had to rally from 17 points down against Letran—only showed that the Pirates have more to work on as they gun for a ninth straight triumph in the NCAA Season 93 men’s basketball tournament.
Game time is 2 p.m. Tuesday at Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan where the Pirates hope to bank on CJ Perez’s explosive game anew.
“Honestly, we didn’t discuss about a potential sweep but rather we want to be a better version of ourselves from our Letran game,” said Robinson.
Perpetual Help and Emilio Aguinaldo College, tied at 3-5, tangle at 4 p.m., while struggling teams Arellano (2-5) and St. Benilde (2-6) clash at 12 noon.
Last Friday, the Pirates played minus Robinson, who served a one-game suspension.
But the Pirates said his absence wasn’t an excuse for the team’s poor start against the Knights.
“We just want to continue to play the game right,” said assistant coach Jeff Perlas, who called the shots in the Pirates’ comeback win over the Knights, 75-68. —JASMINE W. PAYO