Stags earn another shot
As he took the Mall of Asia Arena floor for the do-or-die clash with Letran on coach Egay Macaraya’s birthday, San Sebastian stalwart Michael Calisaan thought about the time when his mentor had not given up on him despite a motorcycle accident more than a year ago that nearly took his life.
For Calisaan, there was no better time to repay the faith shown to him by Macaraya over the past year with the Stags’ season on the line and a first Final Four appearance in four years within reach.
“I wanted to win it for coach,” said Calisaan in Filipino. “He took me in and gave me a chance despite my accident last year.”
The 6-foot-4 Calisaan gave Macaraya a fitting gift for his 56th birthday as he fired a career-best 36 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to power the Stags to a 74-69 victory over the Knights that sent San Sebastian to the next round of the stepladder semifinals of NCAA Season 93.
“I told him he had to make the most out of his second life,” said Macaraya, referring to Calisaan, who sustained near-fatal injuries due to a motorcycle accident in his hometown of Sta. Rita, Pampanga. “That accident was the turning point for him.”
Calisaan nailed the biggest shot of the Stags’ season so far with a triple off a pass from Ryan Costelo with 18 seconds remaining, sealing the win after a nip-and-tuck final period.
Costelo also shone in the final quarter, pouring nine of his 13 points for the Stags, who will clash with third seed Jose Rizal U Heavy Bombers in the next phase of the stepladder semifinals on Friday. The survivor of the duel will go up against second seed San Beda with the winner advancing to the finals against unbeaten Lyceum.
“I think we deserve to be in the Final Four,” said Macaraya.
The Knights tied the game for the last time at 69 before Costelo hit a teardrop with 44 seconds remaining.
“One of our concerns this season is that we don’t have an import and we didn’t have the ceiling,” said Macaraya. “But the team showed heart, the character and desire to win and to reach the Final Four.”
