By: Amymone Clythie Bautista MANILA, Philippines — One step closer to ending the 33-year championship drought, the Mapúa Cardinals blazed the trail, shutting down the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Blazers with a commanding victory, 84-73, last Sunday, December 1, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum for Game One of the Best-of-Three Finals of the NCAA Season 100 Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Player of the game Clint Escamis came with an explosive start that fueled the Cardinals to catch fire as he dropped 30 points, along with five steals, and four assists. JC Recto, Chris Hubilla, and John Jabonete carried the torch that led the Cardinals to triumph with an 11-point lead. Recto posted 15 points, followed by Hubilla with nine points and eight boards, while Jabonete put in eight points and six rebounds.
“Nung una nagtiwala sila sa’kin sa first quarter… and nung huli talaga, nagtiwala naman ako sa kanila to take it home for us.” Mapúa Team Captain Clint Escamis on his teammates delivering in the clutch.
Allen Liwag took the initiative and anchored Benilde’s tenacious fight with an impressive show of 18 markers, 14 rebounds, and three blocks. Veteran guard Gab Cometa also added 13 points for the Blazers.
The Mangubat-Escamis duo fueled the Cardinal’s offense as they took command of the game early on. The hotshot rookie Lawrence Mangubat fired two three-pointers despite the strong defense of the Taft-based squad. The reigning Rookie-MVP Escamis backed up Mangubat’s shooting, adding 6 markers with only a few minutes into the game. Upon entering the hardcourt, Recto was also in the zone, adding two points and one from the charity stripe, 15-9. With 3 minutes left in the quarter, Escamis delivered a masterclass, scoring a 6-0 run, widening the gap to eight points, 21-13. At the 1:23 mark, Escamis stayed hot from the field, adding five points for an 11-0 run. However, the Blazers proved themselves to be a dominant force, closing the first quarter with only a six point lead in favor of the Cardinals, 26-20.
Hubilla kickstarted the offense for the second canto, sinking two points in and one from the free throw line. Ian Torres and Cometa scored baskets for the Blazers, keeping the gap at five points, 29-24. The Mapúan forward Yam Concepcion then nets the shot after a well-timed drop pass from Hubilla. Maintaining their lead, Escamis sank his charity shot, giving the Cardinals an eight point lead. The Cardinal team captain was not done yet, as he shot a triple, and completed his four-point play as he landed his free throw. The Benildean guards Cometa and Tony Ynot kept the green squad alive as they carried the Blazers within single digits. Recto then attacked Benilde’s defense, as he scored the Cardinals’ last six points of the quarter. The young big man from Taft, Liwag made sure to keep the Blazers within reach as he continuously refuted the shots from the Cardinals, ending halftime at 42-37.
The second half started with the Blazers weathering the storm brought by the Cardinals. They denied the Cardinals in the early stages, almost catching up to the red and gold with only a one-point lead, 44-43. Nonetheless, the Cardinals flocked, and scored five goals led by Andrei Igliane and Escamis. After the scores remained stagnant halfway through, standout rookie Hubilla ended the drought by beating the shot clock, which was returned by Ynot with a three for the Blazers. However, Cardinal guard Jeco Bancale answered with his own massive three, 54-46. Recto and Escamis proved to be a constant threat, ending the third frame with a 9-point lead, 57-48.
Thirty seconds in for the fourth period, Hubilla with unwavering poise wraps up the fast break with a score. Jabonete then rose up to the occasion for a three-point play. Still, the Blazers captured a 6-point turnaround by Cometa and Liwag, narrowing the gap to eight points, 62-54. Escamis then comes for the steal, giving the Intramuros-squad a 10-point lead. The Blazers’ team captain, Mark Sangco came from beyond the arc, dipping a much-needed trey for the green jerseys. Recto also came right back with a triple, with Jabonete joining the long-range shooting spree bringing Mapúa’s lead to 11. One of the Cardinals’ strong shooters, Cyrus Cuenco shot a layup, scoring his first basket of the game halfway through the final quarter. The red and gold maintained composure, giving up no ground for the Blazers until the final minutes, ensuring there was no letup after their team captain’s fiery opener. Hubilla closed the game with his last bucket, and the Cardinals sealed the win, 84-73.
As they maintain their lead all throughout, the job is far from over. For the Intramuros-based crew, they are hell-bent driven to comeback from last season’s heartbreak.
“You don’t win a championship in Game One… Hindi ka mananalo ng championship ng isa lang, it’s a team effort talaga, [and] team chemistry.” Escamis said in a press interview.
The Mapúa Cardinals will be given time to prepare, as they seek to clinch the title series sweep in Game Two of the Finals, on December 7, Saturday, 2:30 P.M. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Scores:
Mapúa – Escamis 30, Recto 15, Hubilla 9, Mangubat 8, Jabonete 8, Cuenco 4, Concepcion 4, Bancale 3, Igliane 3, Ryan 0, Abdulla 0
Benilde – Liwag 18, Cometa 13, Ancheta 10, Sangco 9, Sanchez 9, Ynot 7, Oli 3, Torres 2, Eusebio 2, Morales 0
Quarter Scores: 26-20, 42-37, 57-48, 84-73
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