MANILA — Playing without their head coach and team captain, the Lyceum of the Philippines Pirates leaned on Matthew Rubico’s all-around brilliance to stun the Arellano University Chiefs, 62-57, and secure their second straight victory in the NCAA Season 102 men’s basketball tournament on Thursday at the Playtime FilOil Centre in San Juan.
Rubico delivered 15 points, seven assists and six rebounds as the Pirates overcame the absence of suspended head coach Jamike Jarin and injured team captain Gen Aviles to finish the crossover phase with a 4-5 win-loss record.
The victory marked a significant turnaround for Lyceum, which struggled early in the tournament before stringing together consecutive victories against teams from the opposing group.
Rubico credited his teammates for stepping up, emphasizing that sharing offensive responsibilities was crucial to overcoming their depleted lineup.
“Tinatry ko lang i-involve ‘yong teammates ko kasi ‘di pwedeng ako lang ‘yong iiscore,” said the young gunner. “Kailangan lahat kami masaya, lahat kami dapat makakahawak ng bola.”
The Pirates entered the contest facing adversity after Jarin was slapped with a one-game suspension following his ejection during their previous outing against the San Sebastian College Golden Stags.
Compounding their predicament was the absence of Aviles, who suffered a knee injury in the same game.
Rather than allowing the setbacks to derail their momentum, the Pirates rallied around their missing leaders and turned the contest into a statement of resilience.
“Itong game na ‘to inaalay talaga namin ‘to kay coach Jamike tsaka sa captain namin. Para sa kanila talaga ‘to, bago magsimula ‘tong game na ‘to, yun na nakatatak sa puso at isip namin,” Rubico said. “Sana naging proud sila sa’min.”
Lance Aurigue provided additional offensive firepower with 11 points, while Mac Guadaña contributed 10 as Lyceum dealt Arellano its fourth defeat in nine outings.
The Chiefs, who slipped to a 5-4 record, struggled to generate enough offense despite a double-double performance from Basty Valencia.
Valencia finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds but endured a difficult shooting night, converting only five of his 22 field-goal attempts.
He was the lone Arellano player to score in double figures as the Chiefs failed to capitalize on Lyceum’s manpower disadvantage.
For the Pirates, the victory provided a much-needed confidence boost after their shaky tournament start and demonstrated their ability to compete despite the absence of two key figures on the bench and court./PN
