Cardinals, Blazers begin title showdown
MANILA, Philippines — Mapua has been waiting 33 years to reclaim its old place at the NCAA pedestal while St. Benilde for 24 years has been longing to bring the trophy back to its Taft campus.
But only one team will get it done as the Cardinals and Blazers face off today at the start of the NCAA Season 100 best-of-three title showdown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“I just want to win the championship, that has been my goal from the very start,” said Mapua’s prolific guard Clint Escamis, who dropped a mighty 33-point performance in an 89-79 win over Lyceum of the Philippines U in the Final Four last Nov. 23.
The Blazers made it through after they smashed and dethroned the San Beda Lions, 79-63.
CSB knows what to do in the finals.
“We need to find a way to stop Escamis,” said CSB coach Charles Tiu.
Escamis is the main reason why Mapua is in the finals for the third time in the last four seasons.
And the Blazers can’t forget Escamis draining a magical game-winning triple in the Cardinals’ 75-73 victory last Nov. 10 at the Filoil EcoOil Arena.
It helped Mapua steal the No. 1 seeding and to an impressive nine-game second-round sweep.
But Mapua mentor Randy Alcantara said it’s not just Escamis but also talented rookies in Chris Hubilla and Lawrence Mangubat that could spell the difference.
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