Before playing for NCAA crown, Lyceum Pirates face another hurdle—exams

Lyceum is back in the biggest fight in the NCAA, but before it takes a crack at the title there’s one more task that needs to be done.

The week before the championship round starts, the younger Pirates will take on a challenge no amount of running and pressing could help them—exams.

Pirates head coach Topex Robinson said he’ll give his players the time off to prepare for the tests but he’s got two people to help him in putting the Pirates into student mode.

CJ Perez and MJ Ayaay are both graduating players and they took the responsibility of making sure their younger teammates are facing their textbooks and notepads.

“Coach always told us to always focus on the present so what they can do is first focus on the exams and after that they can go workout,” said Perez, who’s a graduating Marketing Management student.

Ayaay, who is taking the same course as Perez’, said he always talks to his younger teammates and gives them advice when it comes to dealing with professors.

“I talk to them when they failed to attend their classes and I always tell them to go to visit their professors because those guys will appreciate it,” said Ayaay in Filipino. “The professors know that you’re tired and sometimes can’t go to class but they will be considerate with you.”

Ayaay said the only thing he’s focusing on, apart from basketball, is his internship and that gives him the time to be a scholastic mentor to the other Pirates.

“I don’t have a problem with my subjects and that gives me the time to talk to my teammates about their studies,” added Ayaay.