Lyceum gets revenge, beats San Beda to take PCCL title

Lyceum Pirates named PCCL champions. Photo by Bong Lozada

Lyceum avenged its heartbreak in the NCAA Finals and got back at San Beda, 70-66, to take the national title of the Philippine Collegiate Champions League Thursday at Filoil Flying V Centre.

The Pirates limited the NCAA champions to just nine points in the fourth quarter while scoring 16 of their own en route to the crown.

After San Beda took a 58-57 lead early in the fourth on Javee Mocon’s free throw, Lyceum raced to a 9-0 run capped off by two charities from Jaycee Marcelino to take a 66-58 buffer with 4:21 left.

The Red Lions managed to cut the deficit to four, 68-62, after Clint Doliguez converted on a three-point play, but Marcelino answered with an elbow jumper and extened Lyceum’s lead to 68-62 with 44.9 seconds left.

Although this was a rematch of the NCAA finals, Lyceum head coach Topex Robinson reminded his team to think about their goal and not just getting their revenge against San Beda.

“What I reminded the team, and even myself, was that it’s not about San Beda and it’s about the vision we started, it just so happened that San Beda is still in our path,” said Robinson, who led the Pirates to an 18-0 campaign in the NCAA preliminaries.

“Coach Boyet [Fernandez] made me work hard because he’s always there when we play, and I have so much respect for him. And the team kept it together, and one thing I reminded my players is to play in the moment and don’t worry about the future.”

Marcelino, who won the Finals MVP plum, finished with 19 points, nine rebounds, and three steals to lead the Pirates to their first major championship under Robinson.

Mike Harry Nzeusseu put up a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double for the Pirates.

Mocon led the Red Lions with 24 points and eight rebounds while Donald Tankoua had a 13-point, 15-rebound double-double.