Lyceum subdues Ateneo to sweep PCCL Elite 8 assignments

CJ Perez and Mike Nzeusseu each tallied 19 marketsrs (Pixabay photo)

MANILA — Lyceum secured the other top seed in the PCCL Final 4 after nosing Ateneo, 69-65, in the final game of the Elite 8 round at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig on Sunday night.

The Pirates got their bearings working in the payoff period as they go on to sweep their own assignments in the national quarterfinals.

In a hotly-contested match that was close for most of the game, Lyceum broke loose at the death as the team made a decisive 7-0 run to turn a 60-62 deficit to a 67-62 lead with 19 seconds left.

Adrian Wong still made things interesting as he drained a triple with nine seconds left that cut the lead to two, 67-65, but Jaycee Marcelino sealed the victory for Lyceum as he made two charities with six seconds to go as Ateneo could not buy a basket in the end.

CJ Perez and Mike Nzeusseu each tallied 19 markers as the latter came close to a 20-20 with 21 rebounds for the Pirates, who will face the San Sebastian Golden Stags in the Final Four at the FilOil Flying V Centre in San Juan City.

Wong finished with 10 markers for the Blue Eagles, who will take on the San Beda Red Lions in the other semifinal pairing.