Mike Nzeusseu played inspired basketball after he and his Lyceum teammates were asked by coach Topex Robinson to think about their heroes in life.
“Thinking about who are our heroes calmed me down and made relax. I have been missing free throws the whole elimination. Now, it just came to me. I was just happy to play in this game,” said the 6’6 Nzeusseu, who knocked in three charities in the last 12.7 seconds to lift the Lyceum Pirates to a historic 107-105 double overtime upset of the defending champion San Beda Red Lions.
That win late Thursday afternoon at the Arena in San Juan enabled the Pirates to complete an 18-game elimination round sweep, and earn an outright finals berth in the 93rd National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball tournament.
Coach Topex Robinson called on the team to think about who their heroes in life before the game.
Fans and supporters cheered wildly after Nzeusseu sank only one of two gift shots off Robert Bolick Jr’s foul in the last 2.8 seconds, and this won the game for the Pirates.
Nzeusseu’s two other freebies came in the last 12.7 seconds off Arnaud Noah’s foul, allowing the Pirates to overtake the Red Lions for the last time, 106-105.
As Nzeusseu finished with 27 points and 21 rebounds, students and alumni gave the Pirates a standing ovation as they matched the Red Lions’ 18-game winning streak back in 2010.
“The courage is there. They just want to keep on playing. They just want to keep on grinding. I don’t know, I was just relaxed. I just told them to keep on playing. CJ was struggling at the start. And I just trusted this guy. He’s gonna make mistakes, which was normal, but I know I could count on him, I could count on Mike, on Ayaay and the twins. And I’m just happy we're there,” said Robinson.
Donald Tankoua, who fouled out in the last 19.8 seconds of regulation, tallied 34 points for the Red Lions who finished the second round with a 16-2 win-loss record for second spot.
Because of the sweep, a stepladder semifinal playoffs for the second finals berth will take place.
First, it will be among the Arellano University Chiefs and the Letran Knights.
They share a 9-9 win-loss record with the San Sebastian Stags, and are seeking the last Final Four seat.
At 3:30 p.m. today (Friday), the Chiefs will fight it out with the Stags for the right to meet the Knights for the fourth seeding.
Bolick eked out 16 points and sent the match into a second extension with his split charity off Jesper Ayaay’s foul in the remaining 1.4 seconds, 97-all.
His drive past Nzeusseu with 1:27 left allowed San Beda to take the upper hand for the last time, 105-103.
Nzeusseu’s drive with 1:42 to go in regulation tied the contest, 85-all.
And the game went into overtime after CJ Perez and Ayaay bungled their three-point attempts in the remaining time, and baskets from Franz Abuda and Davon Pott missed their mark as time winded down.