Key losses: Yancy Remulla, Jerwyn Guinto
Key holdovers: Enoch Valdez, Renzo Navarro, John Barba
Season 97 record: 2-7, finished 9th
Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) is heading to the highly-anticipated NCAA Season 98 with an almost untouched lineup and the competitive juices flowing following a busy preseason.
LPU wrapped up the shortened Season 97 at ninth spot, grabbing just two wins in nine games to fall short of their playoff aspirations. But the Pirates' win-loss card can't speak for their determination and hunger this new season.
With the exit of the two, Lyceum head coach Gilbert Malabanan will be expecting his holdovers — led by Enoch Valdez and Omar Larupay — to raise their games this season.
The 6-foot-2 Valdez led the Pirates last season with averages of 13.63 points, 7.63 rebounds, 2.0 steals, 0.75 assists, and 0.25 blocks while high-flyer Larupay normed 9.5 markers, 8.25 boards, and 2.0 blocks.
Renzo Navarro, John Barba, Mclaude Guadaña, JM Bravo, Vincent Cunanan, and Shawn Umali are all returning as well.
But Lyceum will be without two of their key big men in Yancy Remulla and Jerwyn Guinto, who provided a huge presence on both ends after averaging 6.88 and 4.38 points and 5.25 and 2.63 rebounds, respectively.
Lyceum is also looking to use whatever momentum it got from a fruitful preseason campaign that saw them reach the quarterfinal stage of the 2022 FilOil EcoOil Preseason Cup.
—JMB, GMA News
