MANILA, Philippines – The Mapua Cardinals earned an 84-73 win over the St. Benilde Blazers to go up 1-0 in the best-of-three NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball finals at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, December 1.
Reigning MVP Clint Escamis fired 30 points with 5 steals and 4 assists as the Cardinals inched closer to ending a 33-year title drought.
JC Recto backstopped Escamis with 15 points.
Allen Liwag produced 18 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 blocks in the losing effort.
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Fourth quarter
- FINAL: Mapua draws first blood after an 84-73 win
- MAPUA 84-73: Chris Hubilla with the last bucket of the game
- MAPUA 82-73: Jhomel Ancheta for three
- MAPUA 82-70: Marc Cuenco 2/2 at the line
- MAPUA 80-70: Allen Liwag scores underneath
- MAPUA 80-68: Yam Concepcion cans his free throws
- MAPUA 78-68: Allen Liwag also with a free throw split
- MAPUA 78-67: JC Recto splits his freebies
- MAPUA 77-67: Lawrence Mangubat buries the long two
- MAPUA 75-67: JC Recto adds a free throw
- MAPUA 74-67: Justine Sanchez drains his charity shots
- MAPUA 74-65: Gab Cometa 2/2 at the line
- MAPUA 74-63: Justine Sachez makes his free throws
- MAPUA 74-61: John Jabonete takes it strong to the hoop
- MAPUA 72-61: Justine Sanchez drive
- MAPUA 72-59: Marc Cuenco end his scoreless drought with a layup plus the foul
- MAPUA 70-59: John Jabonete joins the three-point party
- MAPUA 67-59: Allen Liwag short stab with under 6 minutes left
- MAPUA 67-57: JC Recto counters with his own trey
- MAPUA 64-57: Mark Sangco lights it up from deep
- MAPUA 64-54: Clint Escamis picks up the steal and scores on the other end
- MAPUA 62-54: 6-point swing for Benilde as Allen Liwag delivers an and-one
- MAPUA 62-51: Gab Cometa from beyond the arc
- MAPUA 62-48: John Jabonete three-point play
- MAPUA 59-48: Chris Hubilla completes the fast break opportunity
Third quarter
- END OF 3Q: Mapua enters the final quarter up 57-48
- MAPUA 57-48: Clint Escamis continues to do damage for the Cardinals
- MAPUA 55-48: Anton Eusebio attacks and scores plus the foul
- MAPUA 55-46: JC Recto 1/2 with his foul shots
- MAPUA 54-46: Jeco Bancale answers with his own long bomb
- MAPUA 51-46: Tony Ynot dials from long distance
- MAPUA 51-43: Chris Hubilla beats the shot clock
- MAPUA 49-43: Clint Escamis dipsy doo layup
- MAPUA 47-43: Andrei Igliane and-one
- MAPUA 44-43: Mark Sangco with the one-handed shot
- MAPUA 44-41: Allen Liwag retaliates
- MAPUA 44-39: Clint Escamis beats the Benilde defense for the fast break deuce
- MAPUA 42-39: Justine Sanchez cans his freebies
Second quarter
- HALFTIME: Allen Liwag keeps Benilde within striking distance with consecutive blocks as Mapua leads 42-37
- MAPUA 42-37: Gab Cometa 2/2 at the stripe
- MAPUA 42-35: Jhomel Ancheta free throw
- MAPUA 42-34: JC Recto with the Cardinals’ last 6 points
- MAPUA 40-34: Allen Liwag cuts the Benilde deficit
- MAPUA 40-32: Tony Ynot with the putback
- MAPUA 40-30: Tough fallaway shot by JC Recto
- MAPUA 38-30: Mark Sangco answers
- MAPUA 38-28: JC Recto attacks the Benilde defense
- MAPUA 36-28: Tony Ynot pulls Benilde within single digits
- MAPUA 36-26: Gab Cometa goes reverse for the layup
- MAPUA 36-24: Clint Escamis completes the four-point play
- MAPUA 35-24: Clint Escamis sinks the triple plus the foul
- MAPUA 32-24: Clint Escamis free throw gives the Cardinals an 8-point lead
- MAPUA 31-24: Yam Concepcion scores off a drop pass from Chris Hubilla
- MAPUA 29-24: Gab Cometa goes coast to coast
- MAPUA 29-22: Chris Hubilla splits his charity shots
- MAPUA 28-22: Ian Torres putback is good
- MAPUA 28-20: Chris Hubilla with his first bucket of the finals
First quarter
- END OF 1Q: Mapua grabs a 26-20 lead thanks to a hot start by Clint Escamis
- MAPUA 26-20: Gab Cometa steals and scores
- MAPUA 26-18: Matthew Oli for three
- MAPUA 26-15: Gab Cometa 2/2 at the stripe
- MAPUA 26-13: Clint Escamis and-one
- MAPUA 23-13: Clint Escamis connects from midrange again
- MAPUA 21-13: Allen Liwag inside
- MAPUA 21-11: Clint Escamis buries another midrange jumper
- MAPUA 19-11: Clint Escamis with the steal and the fast break layup
- MAPUA 17-11: Clint Escamis stops and pops
- MAPUA 15-11: Jhomel Ancheta continues to lift St. Benilde
- MAPUA 15-9: JC Recto splits his free throws
- MAPUA 14-9: Jhomel Ancheta with the up-and-under move
- MAPUA 14-7: JC Recto completes the fast break
- MAPUA 12-7: Clint Escamis kisses it off the glass
- MAPUA 10-7: Mark Sangco with the drive
- MAPUA 10-5: Jhomel Ancheta attacks and scores
- MAPUA 10-3: Clint Escamis 2/2 at the line
- MAPUA 8-3: Lawrence Mangubat knocks in another triple
- MAPUA 5-3: Clint Escamis gets on the board
- 3-3: Justine Sanchez sinks a free throw
- MAPUA 3-2: Lawrence Mangubat drains the corner trey
- ST. BENILDE 2-0: Allen Liwag scores underneath for the first basket of the finals
Preview
For the first time in NCAA men’s basketball history, the Mapua Cardinals and the College of St. Benilde Blazers will battle it out for the crown in the Season 100 finals.
As both teams look to inch closer to ending their respective decades-long title droughts, expect an all-out war between the Cardinals and the Blazers as they kick off their best-of-three finals series at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, December 1.
Armed with twice-to-beat bonuses, both Mapua and CSB didn’t have to go the extra mile as they eliminated their respective semifinal opponents in just one game last Saturday, November 23.
The top-seeded Cardinals survived a gutsy stand by the fourth-placed Lyceum Pirates, 89-79, to book a return trip to the finals after a runner-up finish in Season 99.
Meanwhile, the No. 2 Blazers cruised to an easy 79-63 win over the defending champion and third-ranked San Beda Red Lions to return to the league’s biggest stage after a similar second-place finish in Season 98.
There will be no shortage of talent in this thrilling best-of-three clash as both squads feature MVP-caliber players.
The Cardinals are led by reigning NCAA MVP Clint Escamis — who is coming off a career-best 33-point performance in the semifinals — while the Blazers are powered by this season’s MVP frontrunner Allen Liwag, who likewise put on a show with 20 points and 8 rebounds in the Final Four.
Count on Escamis and Liwag to carry their stellar play into the finals, together with the contributions from their supporting casts.
Expected to help Escamis carry the fight for the Cardinals are Chris Hubilla, Cyrus Cuenco, Yam Concepcion, and Lawrence Mangubat, among others.
On the other side, look for the likes of Tony Ynot, Justine Sanchez, and Jhomel Ancheta to backstop Liwag and provide offensive firepower for the Blazers.
Game time is 2 pm. – Rappler.com
