Cardinals, Lions open NCAA title series

Clint-Escamis

Clint Escamis arrived at the Mapua training facility before the season began and was greeted with open arms by the entire team, especially marksman Paolo Hernandez and center Warren Bonifacio.

The trio led the Mapua Red Robins to a pair of championships several years back in the high school division and now have a new target, and that is wrestling the NCAA men’s basketball crown.

Curiously, they’ll be up against a familiar foe in San Beda in their best-of-three championship series opener on Wednesday at Mall of Asia Arena with some of the Red Lions’ vital pieces who were likewise their fiercest foes back in high school.

“Paolo even fetched me at the gate of Mapua on my first day back. It was very comforting knowing that you’re very welcome. From that day on, we’re already locked in (to win the championship),’’ said Escamis, the Cardinals’ leading scorer.

San Beda’s Peter Alfaro and Yukien Andrada had unpleasant memories against Escamis and Hernandez and even Mapua head coach Randy Alcantara.

Alfaro, the most seasoned among the Red Lions’ squadron of reliable guards, and the sweet-shooting power forward Andrada lost to the Red Robins in their final year as the main weapons for the Red Cubs.

They certainly don’t want history repeating itself, principally not on the grandest stage this side of local college ball.

“They’re a very talented team, their shot-making ability is different. It’s not going to be easy,’’ said San Beda coach Yuri Escueta of the Cardinals.

The Lions jettisoned the Lyceum Pirates in their semifinal playoffs, erasing Lyceum’s twice-to-beat advantage. Counting those twin victories, San Beda hasn’t lost in its last six games.

As for the Cardinals, they finished on top of the tournament and immediately blotted the No. 4-ranked College of St. Benilde Blazers out of the equation in their Final Four matchup.

“We always have to be on our toes. I told my players that San Beda is a different team from the one we’ve beaten. There’s no time to relax against them,’’ said Alcantara, who owns two elimination round wins over the Lions.

The multititled former Red Robins mentor hasn’t won a championship in the seniors as a coach after winning as a player back in 1992 when the Cardinals defeated the Red Lions for the diadem, Mapua’s last championship.

Escueta, meanwhile, wants to focus on the things they can control. “We studied our games against Mapua. But just like any other game, we want to focus more on ourselves.’’ INQ