Mapua University star Clint Escamis (right) against De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s Mark Sangco (left) in the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball Finals Game 2. Photo by NCAA Philippines/Angela Davocol. 

MANILA (UPDATED) — Mapua University is finally on top of NCAA men's basketball after 33 years.

The Cardinals have won the Season 100 championship after they triumphed over De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, 94-82, in their Game 2 Finals faceoff at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City on Saturday afternoon.

Mapua main man Clint Escamis shone anew, putting up 18 points, four assists, three steals, and a rebound en route to winning their 12th straight game since the start of Round 2 almost two months ago.

"We did it," said the 6-foot-1 ace, who delivered 24.5 points, 4.0 assists, and 4.0 steals in their two-game sweep, making him the centennial season's Finals MVP.

"Thirty-two years last year, 33 years ngayon, every year na lang [heartbreak] tapos we did it. It was a show para sa past na Cardinals, past coaches ng Cardinals, sa student body, para talaga sa kanila ito," added the Season 99 MVP who absorbed defeat against San Beda University in three games of the previous finals.

Aside from Escamis, Cyrus Cuenco made it possible for Mapua to finally return to the top of the NCAA as he contributed 19 markers, four assists, two rebounds, and a steal, while Lawrence Mangubat and Rookie of the Year Chris Hubilla put up 17 and 15 markers, respectively. 

But even with the offensive display that Mapua had in Game 2, Cardinals head coach Randy Alcantara emphasized that defense was what made it possible for them to get over the hump.

"Yung defense, yung hustle," he pointed out. "Yun yung nangyari samin last year. Nakuha namin yung Game 1, parang na kontento kami. 'Di namin na-finish yung last year. So nabago namin yung result through hustle, talagang gutom na gutom, yun yung pinaka una sa team ngayon," he added. 

Despite facing a seven-to-nothing start by the Blazers as Tony Ynot opened the contest with a booming triple, the Intramuros-based team managed to slowly discover their footing all thanks to the efforts of Clint Escamis who already had 15 points at halftime.

The team used this to build a lead that grew to as much as 10, 37-27, in the second frame, and the Cardinals also managed to maintain this after their defense forced CSB to commit 16 turnovers at halftime.

The Blazers cleaned up their errors in the second half and only committed four until the rest of the game, and it helped the Taft-based team to close in on their opponents by two, 53-51, after a Mark Cuengco lay-in with still 4:31 in the third.

However, that was the nearest that Charles Tiu's squad could get.

Cuenco and Mangubat hit a deuce and a trey to build a 60-53 lead with still three minutes left, while another triple by the latter 50 seconds later gave them a nine-point, 63-54 cushion.

Another three from Mapua, this time from Cuenco, pushed Mapua's advantage to 12, 66-54, just before the third quarter ended, and that eventually propelled the Cardinals to victory as an Escamis trey with only four minutes left gave them their widest margin, 82-66.

Mapua drained 10 of their 25 attempts from beyond the arc for an admirable 40.0% shooting from the field, and this helped Alcantara and his troops win their first title since Season 67 in 1991 — a squad that Coach Randy was a part of. 

"May kwento rin ako. Ako rin yung pumanhik at kumuha ng net noon," the junior's champion head coach shared of the '91 team that was led by Benny Cheng. "Ako yung nag gupit at kumuha ng net ng team na yun."

However, Alcantara maintained that the credit must be given to his players, especially Escamis who lived up to his promise to him.

"Itong nasa kanan ko, nangako, tinupad niya naman," said Coach Randy, before giving a huge to his star guard.

On the other hand, this was the Blazers' second championship round defeat in the last three seasons as they previously faltered against Colegio de San Juan de Letran in three games in Season 98 despite having their star player Will Gozum being crowned as Season 100 MVP.

They now had NCAA 100 MVP Allen Liwag to lead their charge, with the 6-foot-6 bruising big handing out a 14-point, 10-rebound game, but it all went for naught much like Gozum's performance three seasons ago.

Justine Sanchez, meanwhile, led all scorers with 24 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and three steals, while Ynot ended his first year in Taft Avenue with 17 markers and five boards. 

THE SCORES:

Mapua 94 – Cuenco 19, Escamis 18, Mangubat 17, Hubilla 15, Recto 9, Igliane 8, Bancale 6, Garcia 2, Concepcion 0, Fermin 0.

CSB 82 – Sanchez 24, Ynot 17, Liwag 14, Sangco 7, Oli 7, Torres 5, Ancheta 4, Ondoa 2, Eusebio 2, Cometa 0, Cajucom 0.

Quarterscores: 24-23, 45-37, 66-56, 94-82.