Lyceum dominate Arellano in NCAA Season 99

c/o GMA and NCAA

Any potential questions on whether Lyceum will secure the other twice-to-beat advantage was officially put to rest on Sunday with a 98-86 victory over Arellano at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.

It was a truly dominant performance from start to finish for the Pirates, who snapped up their thirteenth win of the season out of seventeen matches, joining Mapua as the top two teams in the 99th iteration of the NCAA Philippines.

It was a different outcome compared to the previous result, an 83-80 win over San Sebastian that saw the Golden Stags assert themselves and took advantage of a little sluggishness and overconfidence.

The Chiefs tried to keep in pace in the first half, but could not hold on in the remaining twenty minutes, as they drop to 2-15.

Leading the way for the Gilbert Malabanan-coached squad are Mclaude Guadana and John Barba, who each scored seventeen points, while also scoring in double figures are Shawn Umali and Enoch Valdez with fifteen and eleven, respectively.

Lyceum will finish its elimination round against a San Beda side on Tuesday still working their way into the postseason.

The scores

First Game

LPU 98- Guadana 17, Barba 17, Umali 15, Valdez 11, Bravo 9, Montano 6, Penafiel 6, Omandac 6, Villegas 5, Cunanan 3, Moralejo 3, Versoza 0, Aviles 0

AU 86- Talampas 20, Capulong 17, Mallari 14, Sunga 12, Geronimo 6, Yanes 6, Camay 5, Lustina 2, Dela Cruz 2, Ongotan 2, Villerente 0, Dayrit 0, Tan 0, Rosalin 0

Quarterscores: 21-16; 51-44; 80-65; 98-86

Lyceum secures postseason berth

c/o GMA and NCAA

Lyceum booked its spot in the Final Four of the NCAA Season 99 basketball tournament, defeating San Sebastian, 83-80, at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

The Pirates on the heroics of Enoch Valdez in the victory, as the wingman took over in the second half, scoring fourteen of his eighteen points in the final twenty minutes, while also making an impact on the defensive end with a couple of steals and three blocks to complement his eight rebounds and seven assists.

Complementing Valdez on the offensive end is Patrick Montao, who nailed four triples to finish with a team-high 22 points.

The Golden Stags did not make it easy for their opposition even with their playoff hopes already dashed. They managed to hold a 42-34 halftime lead, and even with Lyceum's comeback, they had a chance to force the game into extras. However, Romel Calahat's heave failed to make its mark as the final buzzer sounds.

With their twelfth triumph in sixteen matches, the Intramuros-based squad joins neighbors Mapua in securing two of the four available spots. The Cardinals are a game ahead with their 13-3 record.

The next step for the Pirates is secure the twice-to-beat advantage by finishing as the top two teams in the league, which they can achieve if they can secure wins against Arellano on Saturday and against San Beda this coming Tuesday.

San Sebastian falls to 5-11.

The scores:

First Game

Lyceum 83- Montano 22, Valdez 18, Umali 13, Guadana 10, Barba 9, Omandac 5, Cunanan 2, Villegas 2, Penafiel 2, Bravo 0

SSC-R 80- Desoyo 22, Are 11, Felebrico 9, Calahat 9, Sumoda 7, Escobido 7, Velasco 4, Una 3, Ra. Gabat 3, Aguilar 3, Re. Gabat 2, De Leon 0, Castor 0, Singson 0

Quarterscores: 17-19; 34-42; 64-63; 83-80

Perpetual snatches win from Lyceum

c/o GMA and NCAA

A Mark Omega triple off an assist from Jielo Razon proved to be the biggest basket of the game, as the University of Perpetual System Dalta emerged as 81-80 winners over Lyceum on Sunday afternoon at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

With the Altas trailing by two and the shot clock running down, Razon found Omega open to take a triple with 2.3 seconds remaining in the game, triggering the final lead change in the game.

Perpetual would stymie the Pirates in the ensuing possession to secure their fourth straight victory and keep their postseason hopes alive at 8-7 overall.

The baller from Cagayan Valley would finish with a double-double with ten points and twelve rebounds, converting three of his six attempts from beyond the arc.

He shared afterwards, "Hindi ako makapaniwala nagawa ko, sobra saya hindi ko mapaliwanag ang saya ko."

Jun Roque also secured a double-double for the Altas with fourteen points and eleven boards, while Cyrus Nitura almost snatched a triple-double with nine boards and dimes each to complement a game-high eighteen markers. Christian Pagaran also added fourteen points in the victory.

The defeat snaps Lyceum's five-game winning streak and drops their record to 11-4.

Second Game

UPHSD 81- Nitura 18, Pagaran 14, Roque 14, Omega 10, Razon 9, Abis 8, Boral 5, Gelsano 3, Barcuma 0, Nunez 0, Ferreras 0, Cuevas 0

LPU 80- Valdez 16, Barba 14, Umali 11, Montano 11, Guadana 11, Omandac 8, Bravo 5, Cunanan 4, Versoza 0, Villegas 0, Penafiel 0, Fuentes 0, Moralejo 0

Quarterscores: 24-25; 39-47; 65-66; 81-80

Lyceum downs Benilde

c/o GMA and NCAA

Games Saturday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre

9:30 a.m.- EAC vs Arellano

3 p.m.- Letran vs JRU

Lyceum rejoined Mapua atop the NCAA Season 99 Men's Basketball tournament standings on Friday, as they downed the College of Saint Benilde, 84-81, at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.

In securing the victory over the Blazers, the Pirates needed a couple of buckets from Jearlan Omandac to extend their streak to five straight games and elevate their record to 11-3 this season.

The 6'5" sophomore from Tagum shares, "Tiwala sa sarili ko na kahit na puro mintis sa first half, tiwala ako papasok."

Head coach Gilbert Malabanan also praised his team's defense in the triumph, notes that, "... Hindi kami makakashoot kung wala kami stops."

Serving as the anchor of that defense is Enoch Valdez, who contributed three steals alongside his team-best fifteen points and six rebounds.

When Malabanan was asked about his wingman, he shares, "He’s playing his last year and he’s going to do everything to help this team win."

CSB, which had been dictating the pace for most of the game while also controlling the rebounding advantage, had a chance to force overtime, but Prince Carlos' heave went in-and-out. The defeat cost the Blazers a chance to move into a tie for second place alongside Lyceum in their quest to secure the twice-to-beat advantage.

First Game

Lyceum 84- Valdez 15, Bravo 14, Barba 13, Umali 9, Omandac 9, Guadana 7, Penafiel 6, Cunanan 5, Versoza 2, Villegas 2, Montano 2, Fuentes 0

CSB 81- Oczon 19, Carlos 16, Gozum 13, Corteza 11, Nayve 7, Morales 7, Marcos 5, Arciaga 3, Turco 0, Mara 0, Marasigan 0, Cajucom 0, Jarque 0

Quarterscores: 18-20; 43-45; 59-64; 84-81

Potential postseason preview as Lyceum-CSB tangle

c/o GMA and NCAA

Games Friday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre

1:30 p.m.- CSB vs Lyceum

3:30 p.m.- San Beda vs Perpetual

Lyceum of the Philippines University hopes to rejoin Mapua atop the NCAA Season 99 Men's Basketball tournament, as they face off against the hottest team in the league in the College of Saint Benilde at 130pm at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

The Blazers are on a five-game winning run, highlighted by a great 84-81 escape against Jose Rizal University this past Tuesday, but the Pirates are no slouch, having won four straight themselves, including a huge 85-79 victory over current league leaders Mapua.

A win for either side is crucial, with the twice-to-beat advantage afforded to the top two teams, as second-place Lyceum is a game ahead of the third-place CSB. A triumph for the former would allow them to rejoin the Cardinals atop the league, but a victory for the latter means both teams will share of second place and the Cardinals' gap increases to a game-and-a-half.

Incumbent Most Valuable Player Will Gozum showed why he earned that award against the Heavy Bombers, dropping 27 points while also helping preserve the win with a potential game-tying rejection against Marwin Dionisio.

CSB head coach Charles Tiu highlights his importance to the Blazers, shares "He’s the league MVP, we will go wherever he takes us."

The other game of the doubleheader features San Beda and the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta, which tips off at 330pm.

The Red Lions are currently in fourth place and the last postseason ticket at 8-4, with a victory here solidifying their postseason chances and even potentially target a top-two spot.

At 6-7, the Altas need every win they can get to move themselves back into .500 and ever closer to a postseason berth, with a victory also dragging down the San Beda back closer to the chasing teams like idle schools Emilio Aguinaldo College and Jose Rizal University.

Head coach Myk Saguiguit shares that he's lookin at his talented swingman Cyrus Nitura as someone who could potentially give Jacob Cortez fits. He shares, "Ngayon pa lang nakikita ko na sa mukha nito si Cortez."

Nitura is coming off a near-triple-double performance against Arellano, with thirteen points, ten rebounds, and seven assists, while also pulling off five steals in an 84-77 win over the Chiefs this past Tuesday.

Shawn Umali named as inaugural NCAA Season 99 Player of the Week

Coming into the 99th season of the NCAA, Lyceum was not considered as a top tier contender, considering the presence of last season's finalists Letran and the College of Saint Benilde.

However, the Pirates silenced those thoughts with an impressive start to their campaign, dispatching both teams, as well as the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta to set the pace so far with three wins in three matches.

Anchoring the streak has been Shawn Umali, as the 6'3"bruiser averaged twelve points, 5.67 rebounds, and a couple of assists.

Against the Knights in particular, Umali finished with fifteen points, three rebounds, and an assist, as Lyceum pulled off a 70-69 victory.

He shared to the media post-match, "Para sa akin, ginagawa ko lang 'yung best ko sa team para makatulong sa team talaga. 'Yung score, hindi ko naman tinitignan 'yun. Iniisip ko kung paano manalo 'yung buong team."

Umali's feats got the attention of the media covering the collegiate beat, selecting him as the first Collegiate Press Corps NCAA Player of the Week for Season 99, beating out JP Maguliano of EAC, Agem Miranda of JRU, Jacob Cortez of San Beda, and Clint Escamis of Mapua.

The weekly citation is presented by the San Miguel Corporation, alongside minor sponsor Discovery Suites.

Umali may have won the award, but for his head coach, Gilbert Malabanan, it is about expecting the unexpected for the undefeated Pirates. He says, "I have been saying this since last season: my team is unpredictable. You won't know who will explode for us."

Lyceum of the Philippines University has been on a roll to start the NCAA Season 99 men's basketball tournament, beating heavy contenders in no less than defending champion Letran and last season's runner-up Benilde as well as a talented Perpetual side.

While Umali continues to prove his worth for Lyceum, Malabanan said he expects new heroes will shine every game as the Pirates aim to surpass last season's Final Four finish.

NCAA set for volleyball finals

Games today at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan

12 noon – Perpetual vs San Beda (Men Finals)
2 p.m. – Benilde vs LPU (Women Finals) 

With the Holy Week break done and dusted, the NCAA is set to commence its finals for volleyball Tuesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre.

College of Saint Benilde hopes to keep its undefeated record intact as they face a battle-tested Lyceum side in Game 1 of the women's finals at 2pm.

Currently holding a 27-game winning streak on their way to consecutive titles, the Lady Blazers went to the limit against the Lady Pirates in their only meeting in the eliminations, a 22-25 25-16 16-25 25-13 15-9 victory back in March 4.

They were able to pull off an undefeated run so far this campaign without Mycah Go, the Season 97 Most Valuable Player who injured her left knee in the preseason.

Lyceum, on the other hand, is seeking to cap their maiden postseason run with a championship, after pulling off the upset against the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta just before the Holy Week break.

On the men's side, the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta is seeking their third straight title against an upset-conscious San Beda at noon.

Although the Altas won their only meeting in the eliminations last March 10, 20-25 25-23 25-17 25-16, the Red Spikers is fresh from an upset over Arellano to earn their first finals appearance since 2012, and are hoping to snap Perpetual's current 31-game winning streak.

San Beda hopeful that the outcome will be different this time around, as they got swept by Perpetual back then.

NCAA Volleyball semifinals set

c/o NCAA

Games Wednesday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre
12 noon – Arellano vs San Beda (Men)
2 p.m. – Perpetual vs Lyceum (Women) 

The NCAA Season 98 volleyball tournament is set to have its semifinal round on Wednesday, with second seeds Arellano and the University of Perpetual System Dalta seeking to earn their respective finals spots.

Both toting 8-1 records, the Chiefs and the Lady Altas need to win their respective one-game playoffs against San Beda and Lyceum, respectively, for a chance to avenge their elimination round defeats against Perpetual and the College of Saint Benilde, respectively.

The Red Spikers dispatched Emilio Aguinaldo College in the stepladder playoff on Sunday, 25-22 25-27 25-16 26-24, with Ralph Cabalsa leading the charge with 24 points. They will not make it easy against Arellano, as they took them to five sets before faltering, 23-25 24-26 25-22 25-23 14-16, back in February.

Later that afternoon, the Lady Pirates took care of business against Mapua, 25-18 25-23 29-31 27-25, with Joan Doguna contributing 22 points. Perpetual, however, remain as favorites given their 25-21 25-13 25-22 victory in the eliminations.

Amidst that potential mental disadvantage, head coach Cromwel Garcia promises, "Ang Lady Pirates po ay lalaban ulit."

Both games will be shown LIVE on GTV, with simultaneous streaming on the Facebook and YouTube accounts of GMA Sports and the NCAA Philippines.

The league will take a short break before the start of the finals on April 11.

Lyceum snags maiden postseason volleyball win

c/o NCAA

Games Wednesday at Filoil EcoOil Centre

12 noon – Arellano vs San Beda (Men)
2 p.m. – Perpetual vs LPU (Women)

Lyceum survived a four-set duel against Mapua, 25-18 25-23 29-31 26-24, to advance in the stepladder playoff Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.

Zonxi Dahab's go-ahead kill, followed by her third service ace clinched the win for the Lady Pirates, who were making their postseason debut in the event.

Head coach Cromwel Garcia shares, "Actually sobrang laking bagay sa amin kasi sabi nga, nagkaroon na kami ng way. Nabigyan kami ng way na we can...na kaya naming pumasok ng Final Four." He adds, "I think ito na parang ang umpisa ng tuloy-tuloy na progress ng sports development sa amin. Malaking bagay talaga especially sa buong LPU community kasi these girls, na nagpakahirap na nandito na sa biggest stage."

Joan Doguna led the team with 22 points, while Johna Dolorito added fourteen points, nine digs, and eleven receptions. Dahab would finish with thirteen points. Jaja Tulang was the other Lady Pirate in double figures with ten.

Mapua rode on their newcomer Roxie dela Cruz and her twenty points and thirteen digs. Tere Manalo contributed fifteen for the Lady Cardinals.

Earlier, San Beda secured their semifinal berth by defeating Emilio Aguinaldo College in their stepladder playoff, 25-22 25-27 25-16 26-24.

Ralph Cabalsa led the Red Spikers with 24 points, including four blocks, while Kenrod Umali added thirteen points and fourteen receptions.

Leading the Generals in defeat was Joshua Ramilo with his thirteen points and fourteen receptions. while Marvin Romero netted eleven markers.

Action resumes with the semifinal matches on Wednesday at the same venue, with Arellano facing San Beda in the men's division, followed by Perpetual facing Lyceum.

Stepladder set for NCAA volleyball

Games Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre

12 noon – EAC vs San Beda (Men)
2 p.m. – Lyceum vs Mapua (Women)

The postseason for the NCAA Season 98 volleyball tournament is set to commence Sunday at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan, with Lyceum and Mapua making their Final Four debuts, the former for the first time since joining the league in 2011, and the latter since they revived the program back in 2009.

The Lady Pirates and the Lady Cardinals will square off in the second game of the double-header at 2pm, with the winner facing the University of Perpetual Help System Dalta on Wednesday in a one-game semifinal at the same venue. Both teams finished the season with a 6-3 record.

Their lone meeting in the regular season took place last February 21, when Lyceum survived a five set marathon, 25-20 16-25 21-25 25-22 15-5.

Before that, the men take to the taraflex, with Emilio Aguinaldo College facing San Beda at noon.

Both finished the season at 6-3, but the Generals survived a five-set marathon against the Red Spikers in the previous meeting, 26-24 25-20 25-27 17-25 15-10.

The winner will face off against Arellano in a one-game semifinal, also on Wednesday.

The stepladder format was invoked due to elimination round 9-0 sweeps by the Altas in the men's division and the College of Saint Benilde Lady Blazers in the women's division, with the best-of-three finals scheduled to take place after the Holy Week break.

All matches will be broadcast LIVE on GTV and streamed on the Facebook and YouTube accounts of GMA Sports and NCAA Philippines.

Regional Champions clash in NBTC Seeding Round

Lyceum-Cavite star Mac Guadana vs Holy Trinity-GenSan in the 2019 NBTC Nationals Seeding Round

The 2019 Chooks-to-Go NBTC kicked off its Seeding Round with a quartet of matches involving different Regional Champions at the Mall of Asia Arena, with Lyceum-Cavite, University of Baguio, Narvacan National High School, and Sta. Clarita International School coming out winners.

The Junior Pirates started off action by escaping with a 74-71 win over Holy Trinity College (General Santos), as the duo of Mac Guadana and John Barba combined to score 47 points in the win.

The former uncorked 24 points, six rebounds, six assists, and three steals, while the latter contributed 23 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and a steal.

Lyceum-Cavite withstood a torrid fourth quarter from the Wildcats, which were led by McTrol Crisostomo pouring in all seventeen of his points in the final ten minutes.

Barba scored in the final ten seconds of the game to give Lyceum-Cavite the lead, and although HTC had a chance to retake it, but Kyle Buen's floater fell short. Jae Omandac would then convert free throws to seal the win and the 28th seed. They face Ateneo in the Super 32.

Ednor Akad contributed a double-double with fourteen points, thirteen rebounds and a block in the loss, which pegs them as the 29th seed. They face San Beda in the Super 32.

The second game scheduled saw the University of Baguio dispatch Dolores National High School (Eastern Samar), 68-56.

UB used a strong third quarter to establish a 51-37 lead after trailing at the half, 28-25. Ivan Fontanilla poured ten points in the period to outscore DNHS, who could only muster nine by themselves. They would extend that lead further in the final period to put the game beyond reach.

Cyril de Vera top scored for UB with fifteen points, while adding a couple of rebounds and assists. Magnus Ines fell a rebound short of a double-double with his fourteen points and nine rebounds. He also added a couple of assists and a block to help them secure the 27th seed and a matchup against La Salle-Greenhills in the Super 32.

Robert Norombaba was the only one from DNHS to reach double figures with thirteen points, two rebounds, two assists, and a couple of steals. As the 30th seed, they face Southwestern University-PHINMA in the Super 32.

The third matchup of the day saw Narvacan National High School (Candon) stun Isabela Colleges-Cauayan, 80-74.

NNHS overcame a 12-point deficit to pull off the win, riding on the shoulders of Paulo Casia to complete the comeback, as he scored a couple of fastbreak layups off IC-C turnovers, the last one with 27 seconds left.

Casia finished with 31 points, fourteen rebounds, an assist, three steals, and a couple of blocks. 23 points came in the second half for the Ilocano school. Vincent Saldua added 22 points, five rebounds, six assists, and a steal in securing the 25th seed. They face Letran in the Super 32.

JD Palejo and Chris Rios each scored fourteen points to lead IC-C, which puts them as the 32nd seed and the task of being the first team Nazareth-NU faces in their NBTC title defense. They also could be undermanned as they lost Mark Tagacay to injury during the game.

The final matchup of regional champions saw a wild finish from Sta. Clarita International School (Iloilo), as they overcame a 17-point deficit to snatch a 99-88 victory over Zamboanga del Sur National High School.

SCIS seemed inspired by the fourth-quarter ejection of their Paul Fallarco after he committed a disqualifying foul, as they ended a game on a 18-2 run. The Ilonggos pounced on their opposition's inability to move the ball past halfcourt, converting on their steals to fastbreak layups. The duo of Steven Tono and Jemar Cepriano combined to score 17 points in the final period to tow them home with the win, outscoring the Pagadian regional champions themselves by a point in the final ten minutes.

Ralph Bajon led all scorers with 33 points, while adding a couple of rebounds and three steals. Tono would finish with nineteen points, four rebounds, an assist, and three steals, while Cepriano contributed seventeen points, seven rebounds, a steal, and three blocks, as they secured the 26th seed and the right to face the University of San Jose-Recoletos in the Super 32.

Ken Pondoc led Zamboanga del Sur National High School with a near double-double performance with 22 points, nine rebounds, an assist, and a steal. Jv Maghinay added sixteen points and ten rebounds as they are designated as the 31st seed and the opponent of Mapua/Malayan in the Super 32.

The 2019 Chooks-to-Go NBTC National Finals presented by SM is also sponsored by Darlington-Exped Socks, EPSON, Huawei, Freego, Purefoods, Gatorade, Go for Gold, and Molten, and also presented by ESPN5 and Lighthouse Events.

All games will be streamed live on the NBTC's Facebook page, with the semifinals, finals, and the All-Star Game to be shown on 5Plus.

Luzon puts out 16 for Super 32 NBTC National Finals field

NBTC is next week

When subdividing the Super 32 field in the 2019 Chooks-to-Go NBTC National Finals presented by SM, half come from Luzon.

Aside from league finalists in the NCAA (Mapua/Malayan and La Salle-Greenhills), UAAP (Nazareth-NU, who are the NBTC defending champions, and Ateneo), and the MMBL (San Beda and Letran), the field includes eight schools that earned their way into the tournament by topping their respective regions.

The NCAA actually has a third team in the field thanks to Lyceum-Cavite, who topped one of the three available slots designated for Southern Tagalog teams, joining Lucena's Calayan Educational  Foundation and Binan's Perpetual Help System - Laguna.

Also making a successful return to NBTC National Finals action among the Luzon-based teams are the University of Baguio Red Robins and Legazpi's Sto. Domingo National High School.

Joining the cast of regional champions making the National Finals are Candon's Narvacan Central National High School (Ilocos), Cauayan's Isabela Colleges (Cagayan Valley), and Floridablanca's St. Augustine Institute of Pampanga (Central Luzon).

Completing the Super 32 are two Metro Manila schools picked by the Selection Committee based on their resume, which turned out to be Far Eastern University and Hope Christian High School.

Sponsored by Chooks-to-Go, Darlington-Exped Socks, EPSON, Huawei, Freego, Purefoods, Gatorade, Go for Gold, SM, and Molten, the Chooks-to-Go NBTC National Finals is also presented by Lighthouse Events and will be streamed on ESPN5's social media channels. The semifinals and finals will be getting the televised treatment through 5Plus.

Field set for the 12th NBTC National Finals

Coming this March 18-24 at the Mall of Asia Arena

The field is now official for the 12th edition of the Chooks-to-Go NBTC National Finals, presented by SM.

Scheduled between March 18-24, it is considered as the de facto tournament to determine the best HS school team in the country, as it involves the champion teams from the different top tier HS basketball tournaments, as well as getting the best of the rest through its qualifiers. It's part of the grassroots project of the NBTC to unearth the best young basketball players in the country.

“We have seen the National Finals grow by leaps and bounds in our 12-year history,” said NBTC Program Director Alex Compton. “Not only in the number of competing teams and how it has become a showcase for all our high school and international talent, but also in terms of the National Finals become a major sporting event in the country. Every high school cager has dreams of making it to the National Finals and the All-Star Game.”

This year's edition saw qualifiers strewn across 105 cities nationwide, whittled down to sixteen regional champions.

Calayan Educational Foundation (Lucena)
St. Augustine (Pampanga)
Southern Philippines College (Cagayan de Oro)
St. Mary's College of Tagum
University of Perpetual Help System Laguna
St. Louis of Don Bosco (Dumaguete)
STI - West Negros University
Sto. Domingo National High School (Legazpi)
Narvacan National High School (Candon)
University of Baguio
Isabela College (Cauayan)
Lyceum - Cavite
Sta. Clarita International School (Iloilo)
Dolores National High School (Eastern Samar)
Zamboanga del Sur National High School
Holy Trinity College (General Santos)

These sixteen schools join the eight schools that have already been seeded into the tournament as champions or runners-up in their respective leagues

UAAP (Champion: Nazareth-NU / Runner-Up: Ateneo de Manila)
NCAA (Champion: Mapua/Malayan / Runner-Up: La Salle-Greenhills)
NBTC Cebu (Champion: Southwestern University-PHINMA / Runner-Up: University of San Jose-Recoletos)
MMBL (Champion: San Beda / Runner-Up: Letran)

Two more schools were given berths by the selection committee in Hope Christian High School and Far Eastern University.

Completing the cast of squads for the so-called Super 32 are six invited overseas-based teams:

FilAm Sports USA
Durham Crossover (Canada - Toronto)
AusPinoy (Australia)
Camp David (New Zealand)
Team Italy Europe Basketball
Top Flight Hoops (Canada - Vancouver)

Notable players from the overseas squads that have previously played in the National Finals are Matthew Daves (from Durham Crossover to Ateneo de Manila), Kamaka Hepa, Jalen Green, and Kihei Clark (all three with FilAm Sports USA, Kamaka now at University of Texas-Austin, Jalen now at Prolific Prep and considered as one of the top recruits in his HS class, Kihei now at the University of Virginia).

Green has affirmed his return to participate in the National Finals, in a video message that was aired during the press conference on Monday.

The format from last year is retained for this upcoming edition, where there is a seeding round to determine who are the 9-16 and 25-32 seeds in the Super 32. The losers from the Super 32 matchups move into their consolation round bracket to determine the Div II champion.

The Bullpups make their return to defend their Div I title, while a new Div II champion will be crowned with the absence of defending champions La Salle-Lipa.

Aside from the National Finals, the NBTC will also have other events taking place during the week. The NBTC Coaches Convention has been moved from its original October schedule to March 22-24, while the NBTC High School All-Star Game takes place on March 23.

Team Heart and Team Hustle make their return, as Kai Sotto and Joel Cagulangan made their choices this past weekend to comprise their All-Star rosters.

Serving as sponsors for the Chooks-to-Go NBTC National Finals presented by SM include: Exped, Freego, Purefoods, Go for Gold, Gatorade, Huawei, Molten, Epson, Arbiel Bus Line, Victory Liner, and Delta Neo Solutions.

Those interested in watching the National Finals can do so via SM Tickets. Make sure to check out the NBTC's Facebook page for updates.

Topex Robinson secures extension, expanded role with Lyceum

Lyceum and its head coach Topex Robinson on Thursday night that they have agreed to a five-year extension starting this December, keeping the latter in that section of Intramuros for the next five seasons.

According to Lyceum president Atty. Robert P. Laurel, "We are happy to have extended a new contract to Coach Topex. We believe he has done a great job and we are proud of the team’s achievements in these past few years."

With his "Love, Serve, Care" mantra, Robinson has been the architect of the Pirates rise towards contention, from being in the bottom of the league to making history as the first school in NCAA history to win all eighteen of its matches in the eliminations and securing its first finals berth. In addition, Lyceum claimed the PBA D-League Aspirants' Cup a few month's ago under Zark's Burger.

Following up that performance from last season, the Pirates just concluded their eliminations campaign for NCAA Season 94 with a 15-3 record, good enough for the second seed in the Final Four when it starts on Friday next week.

On receiving the extension, Topex shares, "I am very grateful to the LPU management led by Mr. Laurel and Mr. Andro Lopez who have been fully supportive of what we have been trying to achieve with the team. We hope we can continue to achieve and make all people connected to Lyceum of the Philippines University proud."

Aside from the extention, Lyceum has also bestown a new title for Robinson, as he has been designated as Director of Basketball Operations for the University. He will now oversee all of the high school and collegiate basketball coaching staffs that are under the Lyceum umbrella, which has campuses in Batangas, Cavite, Davao, and Laguna, aside from the one in Manila.

Lyceum seeks twice-to-beat advantage

Games Tuesday at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan

10am Arellano vs EAC-ICA (HS)
12nn Mapua/Malayan vs Lyceum (HS)
2pm Arellano vs EAC
4pm Mapua vs Lyceum

Already assured of a Final Four spot, Lyceum is seeking to assure themselves of a twice-to-beat advantage as they face Mapua at 4pm this afternoon, when the NCAA resumes its senior men's basketball tournament.

The Pirates, along with idle San Beda, secured postseason berths after Emilio Aguinaldo College tripped the College of Saint Benilde last week, 69-67. By beating the Cardinals, Lyceum is guaranteed at least a playoff for the twice-to-beat advantage that the top two teams after the eliminations earn.

Lyceum head coach Topex Robinson shared to the media after their 113-79 demolition of Arellano, "The goal remains the same, which is to win a championship. But we know it will take a step-by-step approach for us starting with this (Mapua) game."

In the other collegiate matchup scheduled, the Chiefs face off against the Generals at 2pm, as they attempt to keep their flickering postseason hopes alive. Toting a 4-9 record, Arellano needs to sweep the remainder of its games AND hope that Perpetual loses its remaining games AND that the Blazers win no more than one game in their remaining schedule.

In the high school level, Mapua/Malayan seeks to formalize its entry in the Final Four against EAC-ICA at 10am, followed by a huge matchup between Arellano and Lyceum at 12nn.

The Red Robins, at 11-3, need a win to secure a Final Four spot, while the Braves and Junior Pirates attempt to put an eighth loss on each other. The loser of that matchup will be dealt a huge blow to their postseason hopes, with both San Beda and Jose Rizal University already toting nine wins this season.

NCAA Season 94 second round kicks off

Games today at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan

10am Lyceum vs San Sebastian (HS)
12nn San Beda vs JRU (HS)
2pm Lyceum vs San Sebastian
4pm San Beda vs JRU

Pacesetting Lyceum and San Beda seek to pad their lead against the rest of the field against separate opposition to kick off the second round of the NCAA's 94th season for basketball.

To secure their tenth win of the season, the Pirates will be up against league cellar-dwellers San Sebastian, who are expected to field RK Ilagan once again after he served his suspension due to his participation in a "ligang labas."

The Golden Stags as a result had to forfeit two wins and subsequently moved behind Mapua, Emilio Aguinaldo College, and JRU with just one win.

They, however, did give last season's finalists a hard time in their first round meeting, an 85-80 grinder on Opening Day.

Head coach Topex Robinson acknowledges that San Sebastian is a dangerous squad, "San Sebastian is always a tough opponent, complete or not. We just have to always be prepared."

The other collegiate matchup features the Red Lions against the Heavy Bombers, with the memories very fresh from their last meeting, which took place a week ago, 77-40.

In the high school division, the Junior Pirates of Lyceum are seeking to get their postseason aspirations back on track against the Staglets of San Sebastian at 10am, followed by a matchup between the third place Red Cubs of San Beda against the fourth place Light Bombers of JRU at noon.

NCAA All-Star set this afternoon

Schedule today at the Filoil Flying V Centre:

2pm All-Star Side Events
4pm Heroes vs Saints

With the NCAA in between their rounds, the league will have an All-Star Game kind of set-up this afternoon at the Filoil Flying V Centre, highlighted by the third edition of the NCAA All-Star Game.

The league brought back its Heroes vs Saints format from last year, with incumbent co-Players of the Week Robert Bolick and Bong Quinto joining forces for the Saints fresh from their historical feats.

The former became the player with the second highest output in league history with fifty points, while the latter dropped back-to-back triple doubles to close out Letran's first round.

They will join forces with San Sebastian's Michael Calisaan and Allyn Bulanadi, Letran's JP Calvo, San Beda's Javee Mocon, and CSB's Edward Dixon.

Completing the cast are CSB’s JJ Domingo and Luigi Velasco, Letran’s Christian Fajarito, San Beda’s Ranbill Tongco, San Sebastian’s Alvin Capobres, and Perpetual Help’s Jielo Razon, AJ Coronel and Kim Aurin.

Meanwhile, the Heroes will rely on Twin Magic from the Marcelino twins of Lyceum, as they will team up with fellow gunners Levi dela Cruz and Ian Alban from Arellano and Jed Mendoza of JRU.

Completing the cast are Arellano's Michael Canete, Emilio Aguinaldo’s Jerome Garcia, Enrico Diego and Jesse Bautista, Jr., Mapua’s Warren Bonifacio, Lawrence Victoria and Cedric Pelayo, LPU’s Kim Cinco, and Jose Rizal’s Karl Bordon and Richard David.

With the schools making the nominations on who represents them in the All-Star Game, the game features notable non-inclusions in the likes of Edgar Charcos, Prince Eze, Clement Leutcheu, Donald Tankoua, CJ Perez, and Mike Harry Nzeusseu.

Preceding the game itself are the different side events, starting at 2pm with the Skills Challenge, Three-Point Shootout, Slam Dunk Contest, and the Shooting Stars, which will feature the likes of Jio Jalalon, Rey Nambatac, and John Wilson.

NCAA All-Star participants named

On Friday, the NCAA revealed its participants for the NCAA All-Star Game.

Set to take place on August 31 at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan, it will feature the "Heroes vs Saints" format it introduced last season.

The Saints side of the matchup is stacked, with this season's MVP contenders Robert Bolick of San Beda, last year's All-Star Game MVP Prince Eze of Perpetual, and Bong Quinto of Letran nominated by their respective schools.

The Heroes side of the matchup will attempt to make up their 84-80 defeat last year, but they will have to do it without last season's Most Valuable Player CJ Perez, who was not nominated by Lyceum. In his stead, the Pirates are fielding the Marcelino twins and Ralph Tansingco. In addition, they will rely on the hot shooting of Levi dela Cruz of Arellano and Jed Mendoza of JRU.

Notable absences other than Perez in this All-Star matchup include foreign student-athletes Donald Tankoua, Mike Harry Nzeusseu, Hamadou Laminou, and Clement Leutcheu.

Preceding the event itself are the different side events to showcase the skills of the league's student athletes.

Justin Gutang of CSB leads the aspiring high-flyers in the dunk contest, while noted outside gunners AC Soberano, Allyn Bulanadi, Jerome Garcia, and Rence Alcoriza lead the field in the 3-point shootout.

All eyes on the trio of CJ Cadua, Mark Mallari, and Arjan dela Cruz in the Skills Challenge, while notable alumni Jio Jalalon, John Wilson, and Ronjay Enrile highlight the Shooting Stars which will have the combination of a current HS, collegiate, and alumnus working together as a team.

The complete list of NCAA All-Star participants are as follows:

Slam Dunk: William de Leon (Arellano), Renato Ular (Letran), Juju Bautista (EAC), Enoch Valdez (Lyceum), Arvin Gamboa (Mapua), Eugene Toba (San Beda), Kenneth Villapando (San Sebastian), Lean Martel (Perpetual), Justin Gutang (CSB)

3-Point Shootout: Rence Alcoriza (Arellano), Letran (Nicolo Galvelo), Jerome Garcia (EAC), MJ Dela Virgen (JRU), Ralph Tansingco (Lyceum), Exequiel Biteng (Mapua), AC Soberano (San Beda), Allyn Bulanadi (San Sebastian), Luke Sese (Perpetual), Carlo Young (CSB)

Skills Challenge: Maui Sera Joseph (Arellano), Bonbon Batiller (Letran), CJ Cadua (EAC), Mark Mallari (JRU), Carl Lumbao (Lyceum), Eric Jabel (Mapua), Clint Doliguez (San Beda), Arjan dela Cruz (San Sebastian), Jasper Cuevas (Perpetual), Jimboy Pasturan (CSB)

Shooting Star: John Ronald Barba & Kevin Lacap & Kim Cinco (Lyceum), Yong Garcia & Clint Escamis & Exequiel Biteng (Mapua), Penny Estacio & Calvin Oftana & Marcelo Pascual (San Beda), Milo Janao & Ian Valdez & Papa Jepoy Quiamco (San Sebastian), Jielo Razon & Gerald Dizon & Yuri Kawamura (Perpetual), Marlo Espiritu & Kraniel Viloria & Jio Jalalon (Arellano), Stacey Tibayan & Jerrick Balanza & Ronjay Enrile (Letran), CJ Boado & Maui Cruz & Ferdinand Melocoton (EAC), John Amores & Agem Miranda & John Wilson (JRU), Jimboy Pasturan & RJ Deles & Francis Lopez (CSB)

Saints: (Coach Boyet Fernandez)
CSB - Luigi Velasco, Josh Barnes, Jayjay Domingo
Letran - JP Calvo, Bong Quinto, Christian Fajarito
San Beda - Robert Bolick, Javee Mocon, Ranbill Tongco
San Sebastian - Michael Calisaan, Allyn Bulanadi, Alvin Capobres
Perpetual - Edgar Charcos, AJ Coronel, Prince Eze

Heroes: (Coach Topex Robinson)
Arellano: Levi dela Cruz, Ian Alban, Michael Canete
EAC: Jerome Garcia, Jerico Diego, Juju Bautista
Mapua: Warren Bonifacio, Laurenz Victoria, Cedric Pelayo
Lyceum: Jaycee Marcelino, Jayvee Marcelino, Ralph Tansingco
JRU: Jed Mendoza, Karl Bordon, Richard David

NCAA Finals Rematch on tap today

Games today at the Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan:

10am Letran vs Mapua/Malayan (HS)
12nn San Beda vs Lyceum (HS)
2pm Letran vs Mapua
4pm San Beda vs Lyceum

The much-anticipated matchup between last season's finalists will finally take place this afternoon, as San Beda and Lyceum tangle in the final game of the day at 4pm.

Both teams have combined to win fourteen straight games and the winner is set to move up to solo leadership in the standings.

Although the Pirates have beaten the Red Lions in the regular season, they were unable to match that in the finals, putting their historic 18-0 regular season sweep to naught.

With both teams parading virtually the same cast of characters, it is expected to be another humdinger of a matchup, with San Beda head coach Boyet Fernandez sharing to the media, "It will be an exciting game for sure."

Lyceum is looking to conclude their first round on a great note, as the league's best offense attempts to overrun the league's best defense that is being touted by the defending champions.

The other collegiate matchup sees Letran up against Mapua at 2pm. The Knights are seeking to bounce back from consecutive losses against undefeated San Beda and Lyceum, but both matches showed why they are perceived as title contenders, losing in OT to the former and toting an 8-point lead late in the fourth against the latter. A win over the middling Cardinals would put them back in the running for the postseason as it moves them into a tie with idle CSB for fourth in the league.

Ayaay named as the NCAA Player of the Week

With Lyceum's 25-game regular season winning streak on the line, MJ Ayaay made sure that it would not just end this past Friday against Letran.

With the Pirates trailing 76-65 with over six minutes remaining, the graduating forward helped steer the way forward, scoring six of his twenty points in the final stretch as he teamed up with CJ Perez to shake off the Knights and secure an 87-82 victory, allowing them to remain undefeated heading into their much-anticipated meeting with San Beda on Tuesday.

His efforts were noticed by the media outlets, as the NCAA Press Corps picked him to be the latest Chooks-to-Go Player of the Week awardee, beating out Kim Aurin, Javee Mocon, Jed Mendoza, and Justin Gutang.

MJ shared to the media that the pressure seemed to have gotten to the team as of late, "Ramdam na ramdam namin yung mga ibang team na gusto kaming talunin... Sabi ko lang sa kanila, enjoy lang. The past few games kami hindi na kami nag-iismile. Feeling namin palagi pagod kami at nakokontento kami. Kailangan lang namin i-enjoy yung laro."