The Lyceum Pirates will continue seeking the elusive men’s basketball crown in the 95th season of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
The Pirates have been beaten twice by the Lions over the past two year.
And the Pirates are still hopeful that they can reach the finals again this year.
Their main man, CJ Perez, won’t be around after having turned pro. Another key player MJ Ayaay won’t be there either.
For coach Topex Robinson, the Pirates will need to overcome many challenges for them to get far again.
“We don’t have a go-to guy per se, but we have a lot of guys who are willing to contribute and are going to make our season exciting,” said Robinson.
Mike Nzeusseu and Raymar Caduyac will be back for their final year for the Pirates.
The twins Jaycee and Jayvee Marcelino win once again patrol the backcourt while Cameroonian big man Mike Nzeusseu will still be there to protect the boards.
Last season, the Pirates were considered as the top offensive team, and they finished a 15-3 win-loss record in the elims, and after topping Letran in last year’s Final Four.
The Pirates will also count on transferees Jayson David, Jerwyn Guinto and Renzo Navarro in their big push this year.
David, a transferee from the San Sebastian Stags, is seen as Robinson’s replacement for Perez in terms of leadership on the court and speed.
Two second unit players, Alvin Baetiong and Jerwin Guinto are said to be improving and will reinforce Nzeusseu.
And the Pirates will also have scorers like Niño Ibañez and Jeff Santos.