rich 888 Redemption tour complete for Escamis, Mapua

Mapua Cardinals celebrate winning the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament after beating Benilde Blazers in two games. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Clint Escamis briskly walked off the Smart Araneta Coliseum last season, down in the dumps after the Mapua Cardinals let another championship slip away.

The King Cardinal stayed much longer on the Big Dome floor this time, finally, bringing home the crown to their nest in the Finals of the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament on Saturday.

“This is a surreal moment, I just wanted this so badly. After 33 years, finally this is ours,” said Escamis after the Cardinals ended over three decades of heartbreaks and futility with a 94-82 closeout victory over the St. Benilde Blazers.

Escamis missed claiming a second consecutive season MVP but was the runaway choice for Finals MVP after averaging 24 points on 51-percent shooting, four assists and four steals in the two games the Cardinals sent the Blazers to their knees.

“That championship defeat last year [against San Beda] was our motivation ever since. Now, we did it, and the job’s finished. Redemption tour complete,” said Escamis after scoring 15 of his 18 points in another energetic first half that set the tone for the rout.

Top rookie

Marc Cuenco got himself going with 19 points, highlighted by long threes, and rookie Lawrence Mangubat drilled four triples, including three straight in one stretch in the third, and had 17 points. Chris Hubilla, this season’s rookie of the year, contributed 15 points and eight rebounds and performed a superb job with Marc Igliane in restraining season MVP Allen Liwag from operating efficiently on the low blocks.

“Our team is really hungry. We finally got this after three tries. It’s a gift from God, I just can’t explain the happiness,” said Mapua coach Randy Alcantara, who guided the Cardinals to their first title after 33 seasons or since he led Mapua as a player during the school’s championship run in 1991.

The Blazers seemed ready to reverse the trend in the third quarter, bringing down the deficit within 48-46 on a corner three by Ian Torres.

But Igliane unexpectedly fired a three while the shot clock was winding down and Jeco Bancale again drilled another triple of his own at the corner off an inbounds pass, saving them from the Blazers’ comeback assault.

As Escamis suffered from cramps almost the entire second half, Mangubat kept them in control with successive threes, joining hands with Cuenco and Hubilla in dousing every St. Benilde rally.

When Escamis was briefly fielded back, he buried a three for a 16-point spread with still four minutes remaining, sinking the Blazers as the Mapua community and its legion of fans began to celebrate wildly.

“Last year I was under the ring, watching them [San Beda Red Lions] remove the net. I got to do it this time,” said Escamis.

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Justine Sanchez led the Blazers with a career-high 24 points and Tony Ynot, a Mythical Team awardee, added 17 while Liwag finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds, their efforts circling the drain like what happened in their Game 1 defeat last week. INQ

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