Knights out to match best start against Pirates

MANILA, Philippines - Letran tries to match its best start in two years against struggling  Lyceum as the two face off today in the 91st NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.

The Knights are off to one of their impressive seasons after they posted six victories in a row, including decisions over  last year’s Final Four contenders  Jose Rizal, reigning NCAA titlist San Beda, Perpetual Help and, recently,  Arellano University.

Another win in its 4 p.m. duel with Lyceum would send Letran to its seventh win in a row and match their 7-0 start two years ago.

Letran coach Aldin Ayo said he urged his players to maintain their competitive form although they haven’t suffered a single loss in the season.

“I keep reminding my players to keep playing with some sense of urgency,” said Ayo.

Ayo is expected to employ their full-court pressure defense and lean on their veteran trio of Kevin Racal, Rey Nambatac and Mark Cruz.

Racal, who appears to be recovering from  ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury suffered last year, had his finest moment in Letran’s last outing, exploding for a season-high 24 points in a 77-68 win over Arellano, last year’s losing finalist.

And Racal did it by playing out of position.

“He’s a natural three but I kept playing him at four because we’re really a small team this year,” said Ayo.

The Pirates hope to score a reversal to end its worst ever start since debuting in the NCAA four seasons ago.

Lyceum is also coming off a game where it almost erased a huge 43-point deficit before losing steam in the end in a 95-109 setback to Mapua Friday.

“I’m hoping we could get something out of it,” said Lyceum coach Topex Robinson.

In the only other seniors’ game, St. Benilde and San Sebastian, currently tied at the bottom with Lyceum and Emilio Aguinaldo with identical 1-5 records, gun for a second win as the two collide at 2 p.m.