Mapua University star guard Clint Escamis embraces a bigger role once Season 100 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) gets underway on 17 August.

Escamis, the Season 99 Rookie of the Year and reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP), told DAILY TRIBUNE that he is ready to take the lead for the Cardinals after veterans Warren Bonifacio and Paolo Hernandez graduated.

“They gave me the keys to run the team as team captain so it’s going to be a big task this season,” Escamis said.

“I can’t do this without my teammates, coaches and the Mapua community so we’re doing it

step-by-step.”

In his first season with the Cardinals, Escamis failed to clinch the Rookie-MVP honors. He, however, emerged as part of the NCAA Mythical Team and Defensive Team for Season 99.

Escamis was also a heartbeat away from ending the school’s 32-year title drought after they made it to the finals before losing to San Beda University in a best-of-three championship series.

Now, Escamis is honing his craft by playing for Abra in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.

Recently, Mapua competed in the Filoil EcoOil 17th ECJ Preseason Cup where it made it as far as the quarterfinal before absorbing a 75-94 loss to eventual champion University of the Philippines (UP).

Still, Escamis saw it as a way for the team to grow and improve for the league’s centennial season.

“A lot of people told us that we lost to UP but we gained a lot more lessons from that game. There’s still room for improvement for the team,” Escamis said, adding that they will hold training camps abroad to prepare for the coming season.

“We’re going to have training camps in Indonesia on 28 June and in Japan on 28 July.”

“A lot of the rookies and sophomores are expected to step up for this season because we’re going to need everybody’s help.”