by Kevin Estrada
MANILA – Lyceum pulled off the biggest shocker of the crossover match-ups in the NCAA Season 101 Men’s basketball tournament, as it knocked off San Beda 78-66, to close out the Tuesday doubleheaders at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
The Pirates engineered the second-half uprising to stun the Red Lions for just their second win of the season, all of which came in the crossover phase. Despite remaining at the bottom of Group A, the victory enabled them to tie idle San Sebastian at 2-7.
Senior guard Neil Joshua Moralejo was the key cog in the said raid, knocking all of his game-high 24 points after the halftime break, including 13 in the payoff period. He then scored Lyceum’s last eight markers after taking a Yukien Andrada elbow to the chin with less than three minutes left.
“Napunta sa amin yung momentum nung fourth quarter, with the turnovers that they [San Beda] have”, an overjoyed Moralejo said after the win that ended their short two-game skid.
Lyceum mentor Gilbert Malabanan could not hide his happiness as they reeled the biggest fish of the season so far.
“It’s good to be back on the winning track,” he remarked after the contest. “Hopefully eto na yung start ng peak ng team namin.”
Malabanan felt nostalgic as he returned to his old stomping grounds during his high-flying days with Perpetual Help under Bai Cristobal.
“Pinakita ko lang sa kanila yung dunk ko before,” he said cheerfully, referring to his highlight play against JRU in 2000. “Yung memories na makukuha natin dito na pag naglaro tayo dito. Give the good memories na pang-habambuhay natin na pwedeng ikwento sa pamilya natin.”
San Beda were led by Agjanti Miller’s 22 points, as they fell to 6-3 and into a share of the Group A pole alongside St. Benilde. However, they still hold the top spot owing to their opening day win over the Blazers.
The scores:
LYCEUM 78 – Moralejo 24, Montaño 15, Barba 10, Aviles 6, Gordon 6, Peñafiel 5, Versoza 4, Daileg 3, Aurigue 3, Villegas 2, Casiño 0, Pallingayan 0, Matienzo 0, Fuentes 0
SAN BEDA 66 – Miller 22, Lina 12, Andrada 6, Etulle 6, Vailoces 6, Sajonia 5, Gonzales 4, Reyes 2, Celzo 2, Jalbuena 1, Estacio 0, Culdora 0, Bonzalida 0
Quarter scores: 17-18, 36-31, 58-51, 78-66
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