Mapua’s Clint Escamis. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Defending champion Mapua refused to let go of its crown and held off College of St. Benilde-La Salle Greenhills, 91-81, in Game 2 Thursday to force a winner-take-all duel in the NCAA Season 93 juniors basketball Finals at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Clint Escamis pumped in 25 points, four rebounds, four assists, four steals, and one block, including back-to-back layups in the final two minutes to douse La Salle Greenhills’ fightback late.
“I just told them to stay aggressive. That’s it,” said coach Randy Alcantara in Filipino, as Mapua survived a foul-plagued showing from Most Valuable Player Will Gozum.
The hulking Gozum only got 10 points, six rebounds, and two blocks before fouling out early in the fourth quarter as the Red Robins saw their 13-point cut down to just one, 69-68.
However, Escamis had other plans for Mapua as he anchored a superb 17-8 blast that brought the lead back to
10, 86-76 with 2:06 remaining.
Warren Bonifacio tallied a double-double of 18 markers and 14 rebounds for the Red Robins, while Erick Jabel came off the bench to pour 17 points.
“Unlike last game where we’re rushing things, this time we focused on the game possession-by-possession,” shared Alcantara.
Game 3 is on Tuesday, still at the Big Dome.
CSB-LSGH had to play the what could’ve been the clincher without Inand Fornilos, who served his one-game suspension after his Game 1 ejection.
Joel Cagulangan paced the Junior Blazers with 16 points.
The Scores:
MAPUA 91 – Escamis 25, Bonifacio 18, Jabel 17, Goum 10, Garcia 8, Enriquez 6, Lacap 4, Dennison 3, Ramos 0, Sarias 0, Socias 0.
CSB-LSGH 81 – Cagulangan 16, David 12, Marcos 12, Lepalam 10, Mosqueda 9, Perez 9, Sangco 5, Morales 4, Lao 4, Belgica 0, Pedrosa 0, Dela Cruz 0, Cruz 0.
Quarters: 25-19, 55-46, 67-67, 91-81.