Eight years after clinching the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) juniors title, head coach Randy Alcantara and Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) Clint Escamis finally brought home a men’s championship to Mapua University.
Speaking after the Cardinals’ 94-82 win in Game 2 of the NCAA Season 100 finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Alcantara couldn’t help but be proud of his top pupil Escamis as he took on the leadership role of the team.
This was Mapua’s sixth title in the country’s oldest collegiate league and its first one since 1991 when Alcantara was still a player.
“This guy beside me (Escamis) grew up with my sermons,” Alcantara said in jest.
“I’m lucky to have this kind of player. Since his days in the juniors division, he never backed down.”
“He even played hurt in the finals last year.”
Both Escamis and Alcantara were the key factors in ending Mapua’s long title drought.
Back in 2016, Alcantara and Escamis, along with Warren Bonifacio and Will Gozum, won the NCAA juniors crown and spoiled San Beda University’s eight-peat bid.
They would win another crown in 2018 with Paolo Hernandez, this time against the JD Cagulangan-led La Salle Green Hills.
While Escamis did transfer to the University of the East in 2019, he returned to Mapua in 2022 to help out in the senior squad.
Last year, the Cardinals almost ended the drought in Escamis Rookie-MVP season but just fell short against San Beda.
The 24-year-old guard admitted since the start of 2024, the loss served as fuel for them as they climbed their way back to the big dance.
While he only bagged the Mythical Team honors in Season 100, it hardly mattered for Escamis.
“It was very painful. We turned that frustration to hardwork,” Escamis said.
“I wanted to be a team-first player. It’s okay if I’m not the best player this season as long as I can help them.”
Mapua made sure Season 100 will be theirs for the taking.
Like last year, the Cardinals finished the elimination round as the No. 1 seed with a 15-3 win-loss record.
In the Final Four, Mapua defeated Lyceum of the Philippines University, 89-79, last 23 November at the Cuneta Astrodome with Escamis exploding for a career-high 33 points.
Facing off against the fancied Blazers, the Cardinals did not hold back and got an 83-72 win in Game 1 last week.
Mapua made sure at Game 2, the job will be done after Marc Cuenco’s jumper with 4:54 left in the second quarter capped a 13-4 run for a 37-27 lead.
As Escamis drained a triple with 4:16 left in the fourth quarter to the Cardinals their biggest lead of the game, 82-66, he screamed “My time” as he ran back to the bench.
With one more playing year left in his collegiate career, Escamis said he just wants to savor their championship first.
After all, Mapua waited 33 years before finally being on top of the NCAA.
“I want to enjoy this first. I finally got a championship,” Escamis said.