Gabayni keeps Pirates afloat, cops NCAA Player of the Week honors

MANILA, Philippines – Joseph Gabayni was seen as the answer to Lyceum's frontcourt woes the moment he decided to transfer from UST last year. He's as good as advertised.

Gabayni helped power the Pirates to two victories in the last five days and into fifth place in the 90th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City with a pair of double-double performances.

The 6-5 Taytay, Rizal native bulldozed his way to a 23-point, 10-rebound effort in an escape in last Monday's 80-78 win over Mapua and then unloaded 10 points and 12 caroms in another pulsating game, an 84-80 overtime triumph over Jose Rizal Friday.

The couple of strong efforts sealed the 20-year-old Gabayni the admiration of his coach as well as the ACCEL Quantum/316 NCAA Press Corps Player of the Week award supported by Bactigel hand sanitizer, Doctor J alcohol, Mighty Mom anti-bacteria.

"For years, the lack of big men has been our main problem," said Lyceum mentor Bonnie Tan. "But Gabayni's arrival helped us fill that need as we've all seen in our wins, he was really very helpful."

Truly, Gabayni has averaged 10.8 points, 9.8 boards and 1.6 blocks in his first five games to help Lyceum remain in the upper half of the standings with a 3-2 (win-loss) slate, just a shadow behind San Beda (4-0), Perpetual Help (3-0), San Sebastian (3-1) and Arellano U (3-1).

Gabayni bested teammates Dexter Zamora and Guy Mbida of Cameroon for the weekly honor.

Gabayni said he needs to work harder to be at par with the league's top big men like San Beda's Ola Adeogun of Nigeria, Emilio Aguinaldo's Noube Happi of Cameroon and San Sebastian's Bradwyn Guinto.

"I still have a lot of things to learn so I need to work and train harder," said the shy Gabayni in Filipino.