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San Beda remains the favorite, but NCAA coaches also wary of Lyceum

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/sports/07/03/ncaa-070317.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption><div class="embed-desc">NCAA coaches attend a press conference ahead of Season 93. <cite>Richard Esguerra, <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/ncaa/basketball/photos">ABS-CBN Sports</a></cite></div></figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines – Defending champion San Beda College remains the overwhelming favorites to rule the NCAA Season 93 men&#x27;s basketball tournament, thanks to its nearly intact line-up and championship tradition.However, the league&#x27;s coaches also warned of the threat posed by the much-improved Lyceum of the Philippines University, who turned heads in the FilOil Flying V Preseason Tournament with its fast-paced style of play.&quot;Based sa preseason, maganda ang showing ng Lyceum,&quot; said Jose Rizal University (JRU) assistant coach Vic Lazaro, who was attending Monday&#x27;s press conference in lieu of head coach Vergel Meneses. &quot;Maganda ang development nila from last year, and maganda ang takbo nila.&quot;&quot;Among dark horses, No. 1 ang Lyceum,&quot; agreed San Sebastian College coach Egay Macaraya.Also tabbing Lyceum as a potential contender were University of Perpetual Help coach Jimwell Gican, Colegio de San Juan de Letran coach Jeff Napa, and Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) coach Ariel Sison.Indeed, the NCAA coaches have reason to be wary of the Pirates. For the first time in school history, Lyceum advanced to the semifinals of the FilOil tournament, eventually finishing in third place. CJ Perez, finally eligible to play after two years in the sidelines, is looking better than ever.Lyceum coach Topex Robinson has his team playing position-less basketball, with Mike Nzeusseu a center in name only. The Season 92 Rookie of the Year from Cameroon is even taking three-pointers now, and nearly all of the Pirates have proven that they can hit the mark from beyond the arc as well.Yet Robinson is reluctant to buy into his own team&#x27;s hype, instead saying that they remain a rung below the Red Lions in the league&#x27;s pecking order.&quot;For me, it&#x27;s obviously San Beda, and I guess after San Beda, it&#x27;s an equal opportunity for the rest,&quot; he said. &quot;It&#x27;s an even playing field for me.&quot;Other coaches noted that while Lyceum showed great improvement, so did several other teams. The JRU Heavy Bombers missed the Final 4 in Season 92, but put on a solid performance in the FilOil tournament, making the semifinals. The San Sebastian Stags are expected to be even better in Year 2 under Macaraya, and the EAC Generals were also repeatedly mentioned as another dark horse.&quot;It&#x27;s open,&quot; said Jerry Codiñera, who led Arellano University to the Finals last year. &quot;It&#x27;s San Beda, then open &#x27;yun spot ng second, third, and fourth sa placing.&quot;There is a reason that for all of the improvement shown by other NCAA teams, San Beda is still touted as the team to beat. The Red Lions swept the FilOil tournament, and defeated the mighty De La Salle University Green Archers in a thrilling championship game.Robert Bolick has developed into a bona fide leader, and San Beda will still have the services of Davon Potts, Javee Mocon, Arnaud Noah, and AC Soberano, all of whom played major roles in last year&#x27;s championship run.Donald Tankoua, who suffered an ACL injury midway through last season&#x27;s tournament, is expected to regain full fitness by the second round, giving San Beda yet another weapon.&quot;Salamat sa coaches kasi team to beat kami,&quot; said San Beda coach Boyet Fernandez, who is back for another tour of duty after leading the Red Lions to championships in 2013 and 2014. &quot;It&#x27;s an added pressure for my players and myself, but I do appreciate it.&quot;However, Fernandez said they cannot afford to count out the rest of the field.&quot;Lyceum did a good job (in the FilOil tournament), they won six straight games and they made it to the semifinals. We cannot count out JRU, and also Arellano, Letran, Perpetual. Perpetual beat Ateneo in the FilOil,&quot; he pointed out.&quot;CSB (De La Salle-College of St. Benilde) has a new coach (TY Tang), and he&#x27;s doing great,&quot; Fernandez added. &quot;I do believe it&#x27;s going to be a very good season for the NCAA.&quot;The 93rd season of the NCAA opens on July 8, Saturday, at the Mall of Asia Arena. San Beda opens its bid for back-to-back titles at 2 p.m. against host school San Sebastian, while Arellano and Mapua University face off at 4 p.m.(For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/">ABS-CBN Sports website.</a>)

Defending champion San Beda College remains the overwhelming favorites to rule the NCAA Season 93 men's basketball tournament, thanks to its nearly intact line-up and championship tradition.

Defending champion San Beda College remains the overwhelming favorites to rule the NCAA Season 93 men's basketball tournament, thanks to its nearly intact line-up and championship tradition.

San Beda remains the favorite, but NCAA coaches also wary of Lyceum

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San Beda remains the favorite, but NCAA coaches also wary of Lyceum

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 03, 2017 05:17 PM PHT

Read More:

NCAA

San Beda Red Lions

Lyceum Pirates

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