It wasn’t quite a Cinderella Finish as envisioned by Lyceum, but Topex Robinson and the Pirates’ run in the NCAA is worth the encore.
No other Lyceum men’s basketball squad has accomplished a feat as similar to this by the current Pirates squad. Not even the teams of great players like Ato Agustin, Leo Austria, Dante Gonzalgo and Alex Clariño could ever come close.
The Pirates swept their elimination round matches, posting a perfect 18-0 record, and advancing to the finals right away. Their remarkable earned admiration not just from the Lyceum community but also from different teams which suddenly became believers of this new breed of cagers from the walls of Intramuros.
Their impressive run was cut short by the more experienced San Beda Red Lions, who roared back in the championship round, made some heady plays and defended the title in the oldest collegiate tournament in the country.
From being regarded as invincible in the elimination round, the Pirates found out they need to be humbled when the stakes are higher.
But what’s important in Lyceum’s feat has something to do beyond the wins and losses.
The team has become an inspiration not just for people aspiring to become successful in the field of sports but in life in general.
Robinson, the amiable coach of Lyceum, has faced adversities in the past. He was part of the Alaska team that loss the championship to San Miguel Beer in the All-Filipino last year when the team established a 3-0 lead before losing four in a row.
Such experience could humble you, but for Robinson, this game has got to be more than winning and losing.
“We’ve been receiving text messages even from our opponents, egging us to continue competing,” said Robinson. “There’s this owner of the LBC Batangas Blades in the MBA, telling me that aside from the games in the MBA his team played, this game by Lyceum is one of the things he enjoyed watching. It’s really humbling and it’s really inspiring.”
For Robinson, the journey was surreal.
Nobody expected a perfect season for them, so as winning the championship.
But the feat, according to him, would be planted in their minds and in their hearts, that they could serve as inspiration to others.
Lyceum is one among the teams accepted to become a regular member a few years ago. The school is known more as a powerhouse in women’s basketball, but never been considered one in the men’s division.
The school has certainly gone a long way and with Robinson at the helm, expect the Pirates to continue to inspire everyone.
Rey Joble has been covering the PBA games for more than a decade. He is a member of the PBA Press Corps and Philippine Sportswriters Association, the oldest journalism group in the country.
