Mapua University star Clint Escamis. Photo from NCAA Philippines.

MANILA – Clint Escamis delivered his best-ever game in the NCAA to pace Mapua University into the Season 100 men's basketball Finals.

The 6-foot-1 ace was at the forefront of the Cardinals' 89-79 win over Lyceum of the Philippines University in their Final 4 faceoff, Saturday afternoon at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City, with the reigning MVP helping the Intramuros-based team reach the championship round for the second straight year.

Escamis tallied 33 points with four rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks in 32:34 minutes of action, and he said that this was a matter of him showing sense of urgency despite holding a twice-to-beat advantage over the Pirates

"Coming into the game, kailangan eh," he said after the triumph that pushed their win streak to 10. "Iniisip ko talaga na hindi kami twice-to-beat. Do or die rin talaga, na we should give it our all this Saturday."

Escamis indeed gave it his all right from the opening jump, pouring in 18 markers in the first quarter that allowed them to eventually build a lead that grew to as much as 15, 45-30, after an and-one by JC Recto midway through the second frame.

However, this season's hosts would not go down without a fight just like that.

Lyceum came alive in the third period and stunned the Cardinals by overtaking them, 65-60, following a JM Bravo trey at that quarter's 2:26 mark, and they also did this by limiting Mapua to scoring only eight points on 3-of-20 shooting in that span.

Fortunately for the Cardinals, Chris Hubilla and Yam Concepcion came alive for them early in the final canto, with the duo taking consecutive hits to give the Cardinals a 70-67 lead with still 8:11 left on the game clock.

Escamis then rediscovered his form in the fourth by scoring eight markers in the same frame, and this enabled Mapua to push their cushion back to 10, 79-69, after a three-pointer by the 24-year-old at the 5:00 mark.

Bravo and Ato Barba looked to close in on their opponents after this in hopes of extending their season to another game, and they even got back to as close as four, 79-75, after an and-one by the former with still 3:40 left.

Unfortunately for LPU, this was the nearest that they got in their second comeback of the contest.

Vince Cunanan missed three shots at the foul line with still 2:45 left in the clock — a visit to the 15-foot line that could have brought their deficit down to three, while Mac Guadana and Jonathan Daileg missed three of the Pirates' next four shots also from the free throw area — a series of attempts that could have got them to within two.

Bravo led LPU in scoring with a 20-point, 10-rebound game, but this went for naught as they are the first Final 4 team to get eliminated from contention.

Mapua will play College of St. Benilde in the best-of-3 Finals that starts on Sunday, December 1, 2024, at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

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

RELATED VIDEO: