NCAA: Mapua back in finals behind Clint Escamis’ career game

Mapua Cardinals guard Clint Escamis during an NCAA Final Four game against Lyceum.–NCAA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Clint Escamis was completely locked in, showing no sign of wimping out just to bring the Mapua Cardinals back to the championships.

The reigning MVP helped carry his team past the equally determined Lyceum Pirates with a gripping 89-79 Final Four win on Saturday as the Cardinals returned to the Finals in the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament.

Escamis was on fire right off the bat, quickly rattling a record 18 points in the first quarter before finishing with a career-high 33 on their way to a second consecutive trip to the best-of-three championship series.

READ: Past lesson will guide Mapua as Final Four top seed

“Our goal is to redeem ourselves after we lost the championship last season. Now, here we are,” said Escamis, who brought the Cardinals to the Finals last year only to be hunted down by the San Beda Red Lions.

The Cardinals await their foe in the finale from the outcome of the semifinal clash between the College of St. Benilde Blazers and the defending champion Lions with the former wielding a twice-to-beat advantage.

Chris Hubilla likewise sparkled after scoring nine of his 17 points in the pivotal fourth quarter as Mapua wiped out the slim lead of the Pirates and regained control for good.

“We know it’s a different atmosphere in the Finals and we have to be ready whoever the opponent is. We have to be physically and mentally prepared,” said Mapua coach Randy Alcantara on his third appearance in the championship in four seasons.

Escamis lit up the scoreboard with a blazing start, exploiting the mismatch with point guard Renz Villegas and hitting 12 of his team’s first 14 points that set the tone for an early takeover.

But the Pirates, behind the stellar efforts of JM Bravo, Mclaude Guadana and Villegas, slowly chopped away the 15-point deficit and surged ahead in the third, threatening to stretch their semifinal playoff to a decider.

Hubilla then conspired with Escamis in flipping on the switch along with Yam Concepcion and Cyrus Cuenco as they pounded on Lyceum’s maze of errors and failed attempts at the free throw line.

Trailing 81-75 under three minutes, team captain Greg Cunanan bungled three straight free throws followed by another bungled pair of freebies from Guadana.

READ: NCAA: Mapua clinches top seed, tops Arellano ahead of Final Four

There was enough time for the Pirates to reverse the trend, but John Barba turned over the possession twice, Guadana missed a three and Bravo cramped up after matching his career-high 20 points entering the final minutes.

Overall, the Pirates misfired 18 of their 37 free throws with a big chunk coming in the fourth that accelerated their downfall.

The Cardinals also wound up as the top-seeded squad after the eliminations last season and hurdled the Blazers in the Final Four, but couldn’t go all the way against the Lions in the Finals.

Escamis is dead set on changing the narrative this time starting with the opener of the championship series on Dec. 1 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Scores:

MAPUA 89 – Escamis 33, Hubilla 17, Recto 10, Mangubat 7, Concepcion 7, Cuenco 6, Igliane 4, Bancale 4, Jabonete 1, Ryan 0, Garcia 0

LYCEUM 79 – Bravo 20, Barba 14, Vilegas 12, Guadaña 12, Daileg 6, Versoza 6, Moralejo 3, Cunanan 2, Montaño 2, Peñafiel 2, Aviles 0

Quarterscores: 29-21, 55-46, 63-65, 89-79