Mapua Cardinals have fun successful the NCAA Season 100 males’s basketball match after beating Benilde Blazers in two video games. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.internet
Clint Escamis briskly walked off the Sensible Araneta Coliseum final season, down within the dumps after the Mapua Cardinals let one other championship slip away.
The King Cardinal stayed for much longer on the Massive Dome flooring this time, lastly, bringing house the crown to their nest within the Finals of the NCAA Season 100 males’s basketball match on Saturday.
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“This can be a surreal second, I simply needed this so badly. After 33 years, lastly that is ours,” mentioned Escamis after the Cardinals ended over three a long time of heartbreaks and futility with a 94-82 closeout victory over the St. Benilde Blazers.
Escamis missed claiming a second consecutive season MVP however was the runaway alternative for Finals MVP after averaging 24 factors on 51-percent taking pictures, 4 assists and 4 steals within the two video games the Cardinals despatched the Blazers to their knees.
“That championship defeat final yr [against San Beda] was our motivation ever since. Now, we did it, and the job’s completed. Redemption tour full,” mentioned Escamis after scoring 15 of his 18 factors in one other energetic first half that set the tone for the rout.
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Prime rookie
Marc Cuenco obtained himself going with 19 factors, highlighted by lengthy threes, and rookie Lawrence Mangubat drilled 4 triples, together with three straight in a single stretch within the third, and had 17 factors. Chris Hubilla, this season’s rookie of the yr, contributed 15 factors and eight rebounds and carried out an outstanding job with Marc Igliane in restraining season MVP Allen Liwag from working effectively on the low blocks.
Cramps
“Our workforce is basically hungry. We lastly obtained this after three tries. It’s a present from God, I simply can’t clarify the happiness,” mentioned Mapua coach Randy Alcantara, who guided the Cardinals to their first title after 33 seasons or since he led Mapua as a participant throughout the faculty’s championship run in 1991.
The Blazers appeared able to reverse the pattern within the third quarter, bringing down the deficit inside 48-46 on a nook three by Ian Torres.
However Igliane unexpectedly fired a 3 whereas the shot clock was winding down and Jeco Bancale once more drilled one other triple of his personal on the nook off an inbounds move, saving them from the Blazers’ comeback assault.
As Escamis suffered from cramps virtually your entire second half, Mangubat stored them in management with successive threes, becoming a member of fingers with Cuenco and Hubilla in dousing each St. Benilde rally.
When Escamis was briefly fielded again, he buried a 3 for a 16-point unfold with nonetheless 4 minutes remaining, sinking the Blazers because the Mapua group and its legion of followers started to have fun wildly.
“Final yr I used to be beneath the ring, watching them [San Beda Red Lions] take away the web. I obtained to do it this time,” mentioned Escamis.
Justine Sanchez led the Blazers with a career-high 24 factors and Tony Ynot, a Legendary Crew awardee, added 17 whereas Liwag completed with 14 factors and 10 rebounds, their efforts circling the drain like what occurred of their Recreation 1 defeat final week. INQ
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