Doves go for three-peat vs Pirates

Coach Gabby Velasco simply wants the National Capital Region Athletic Association (NCRAA) finals between his St. Francis Doves and the Lyceum Pirates to be over by the end of the day.

"We don’t want a Game 3, although we’re not discounting a Lyceum comeback. But we hope to win again para matapos na ito," said Velasco moments after the three-peat seeking Doves won the opener of the series, 70-55, two days ago.

Carrying a 17-game winning streak and only a victory away from becoming the first team in the 10-year history of the league to bag a third straight men’s basketball title, the Doves are the overwhelming favorites going into today’s Game 2 of the finals at the San Andres gym.

Even Lyceum coach Bay Cristobal said that the Doves have everything going for them. But he maintained that winning a third title would not come easy.

"Hindi naman namin basta-basta ibibigay sa kanila ng ganun na lang ang championship. Kita ninyo naman kung paano sila nagtrabaho ngayon (Game 1)," said Cristobal, runner-up to Velasco the past two seasons.

The Pirates indeed had the Doves on pins-and-needles when, behind a pressing defense and Chico Lanete’s hot hands from the outside, they rallied back from a 12-point deficit and threatened at 50-51 going into the homestretch of Game 1.

Only after St. Francis’ twin tower of Ranidel de Ocampo and Irvin Sotto took over the game when Lyceum began to crumble.

‘We made some lapses," said Velasco. "Nabigla kami sa press nila and Lanete began hitting from the outside. But we’ll make adjustments to correct our mistakes."

Also eyeing titles in their respective divisions are the St. Francis Baby Doves in junior’s play and the Lyceum Lady Pirates in the distaff side.

The Doves clobbered the Colegio de San Lorenzo Griffins, 100-90, in Game 1 while the Lady pirates whipped previously unbeaten La Salle Archers, 66-48, in the opener of their own title series.