NCAA: Mapua pulls rug from under Letran, Lyceum zooms past EAC

Mapua’s Clint Escamis shoots over the Letran defense. –NCAA Photo

MANILA, Philippines—Mapua came from behind to take a close 69-66 victory over Letran in the NCAA Season 99 men’s basketball tournament at San Juan Arena on Saturday.

After trailing by as much as 11, the Cardinals shaved the deficit to four in the final two minutes of the game, 64-60.

Paolo Hernandez and Clint Escamis then took matters into their own hands with five unanswered points to put Mapua up, 65-64, en route to a 9-2 record.

Escamis led the Cardinals in scoring with 21 points while Jopet Soriano helped the cause with 14 points and six rebounds.

Kurt Reyson scattered 17 markers in a loss that put the Knights in a 1-10 card.

Earlier, Lyceum made it back-to-back wins after dealing Emilio Aguinaldo College an 81-78 defeat.

This after the Pirates outlasted Jose Rizal University on Tuesday, 99-96.

Lyceum improved to 8-3, thanks in large part to Jerlan Omandac’s near double-double outing of 24 points and nine rebounds. Renz Villegas and Alvin Penafiel also finished with 13 and 12 points, respectively, for the win.

Nat Cosejo’s double-double of 23 points and 11 rebounds was not enough to power the Generals to victory as they crashed to 6-5.