MANILA — In a thrilling showdown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, San Beda secured its long-awaited championship by defeating Mapua 76-66 in the NCAA men’s basketball Finals on Sunday (17 Dec 2023).
The Red Lions emerged victorious in the best-of-three title series, marking their 23rd crown and denying the Cardinals a chance to capture their first championship since 1991.
Overcoming early-season setbacks, San Beda showcased resilience, especially against top-ranked Mapua, whom they had lost to in the previous three encounters.
Excelling in do-or-die situations, the Red Lions climbed from the third spot in the regular season to clinch their place in the Finals, defeating the second-ranked Lyceum of the Philippines University.
Expressing his joy, head coach Yuri Escueta, in his second season with the program, commended his players for their dedication and hard work throughout the season.
Escueta, a proven winner with UAAP titles as a player for Ateneo, highlighted the team’s journey, saying, “Pinagtrabahuan namin ito since January. Lahat pinagdaanan namin.”
James Payosing, delivering a standout performance, secured the Finals MVP title with a double-double of 11 points and 14 rebounds, accompanied by two steals.
Yukien Andrada played a pivotal role as he uncorked an impressive second-half surge, contributing 20 points along with Nygel Gonzales who came away with 10 points to the scoreboard.
In the final period, Andrada matched the Cardinals’ output with nine points, sealing the deal for the Red Lions who had a decisive 23-point final quarter output.
JC Recto led Mapua with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while season MVP Clint Escamis faced shooting challenges, finishing with 13 points on a 4-of-22 shooting performance.
Peter Rosillo chipped in with 10 points for Mapua.
The scores: San Beda 76 — Andrada 20, Payosing 11, Gonzales 10, Cortez 8, Royo 6, Jopia 6, Tagle 4, Alfaro 4, Puno 3, Visser 2, Cuntapay 2.
Mapua 66 — Recto 18, Escamis 13, Rosillo 10, Hernandez 6, Cuenco 5, Dalisay 5, Bonifacio 4, Soriano 3, Fornis 2, Bancale 0, Sabsalon 0.
Quarterscores: 24-15; 36-35; 53-57; 76-66
MANILA — Before an appreciative crowd of 22,465 fans at the Mall of Asia Arena, the San Beda Red Lions secured a 71-65 victory against the Mapua Cardinals in Game Two on December 10, setting the stage for a riveting decider in the NCAA Season 99 men’s basketball Finals.
Jacob Cortez orchestrated a late-game surge, contributing 21 points, including two crucial triples in the last 4:28. Despite a challenging third quarter, San Beda emerged with a remarkable 23-point performance in the final canto.
The pivotal moment came with Yukien Andrada’s three-pointer, granting the Red Lions a 70-63 advantage with 2:21 remaining.
Mapua attempted a comeback but faltered, missing crucial free throws, and Peter Alfaro sealed the deal by splitting his charities in the last 8 seconds.
Game Three is scheduled for next Sunday, December 17, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
(AI/MNM)
Game Wednesday
(Mall of Asia Arena)
2 p.m. – Mapua vs San Beda (Finals, Game 1)
MANILA — In the face of their elimination round losses to Mapua, Coach Yuri Escueta remains steadfast in his belief that teamwork will be the key to success for SAN Beda in the NCAA men’s basketball Finals.
“Basketball is a team game; you can’t win with just one or two guys. Everyone needs to step up, and the pieces need to fall into place,” Escueta emphasized.
He pointed to the team’s camaraderie and strong bonds, fostering confidence and trust among the players.
“They know they have everyone behind their back, and there’s mutual trust within the team,” he added.
The Finals, kicking off at 2 p.m. today (Wednesday) at the Mall of Asia Arena, will witness a clash between the third-ranked Red Lions and the elimination round topnotcher Cardinals.
San Beda, eliminating No. 2 Lyceum of the Philippines University in the Final Four, is on its 15th championship stint in the last 17 seasons.
Mapua, having overcome third-ranked College of Saint Benilde in the other Final Four pairing, secures their spot on the grand stage for the second time in three seasons.
For Coach Escueta, each member of his squad holds equal importance, highlighting the unity that will propel them toward victory.
“As I said nga there’s Jacob (Cortez), there’s Yuki (Andrada), but as important as those guys are even until the 15th player and 18th player I have sa lineup ko. Kasi sa practices grabe kung paano i-push ng third group yung first and second group,” said Escueta.
The Red Lions hope to find a way to neutralize the Cardinals’ top guns Clint Escamis and Warren Bonifacio.
Coach Randy Alcantara said that Mapua is extra motivated to make it back to the Finals and refused to lose sight of their goal of another championship, which the school last tasted in 1991.
Incidentally, Alcantara was part of the Cardinals squad that won back-to-back titles.
“Sabi nga noong pregame, nung against JRU nga motivation namin makabawi, ngayon one game away na lang na sa Finals na kami, so kailangan doble pa namin, i-push pa namin yung sarili namin at lalo kaming magtiwala at dumisiplina doon sa depensa namin,” said Alcantara.
“Ayun, team effort, teamwork, and trust sabi ko nga sa mga players. Nadala namin hanggang doon sa pangarap namin kasi kung ito Finals na, hindi ganoong kadali. Kailangan doble, triple trabaho namin,” he added.
(AI/MNM)
MANILA — Mapua showcased a stellar performance in the NCAA Season 99 men’s basketball semifinals, clinching a spot in the finals by defeating the College of St. Benilde, 78-67, at the MOA Arena on Tuesday.
Led by the impressive partnership of Paolo Hernandez and Clint Escamis, who have been best friends since their Mapua high school days, the Cardinals dominated the fourth quarter.
The duo combined for 16 of the team’s 22 fourth-quarter points, securing a coveted ticket to San Beda dominance best-of-three finals, scheduled for either Sunday or Monday.
Hernandez led the scoring with 22 points, while Escamis, set to be crowned MVP this season, contributed 21 crucial points.
The Cardinals’ solid defense held CSB’s Miguel Oczon to just three points in the final period, a significant factor in their victory.
Mapua’s head coach, Randy Alcantara, acknowledged the pivotal role played by the Hernandez-Escamis pair, stating, “With the help of these two veterans, nagawa namin ito (we did it).” The coach emphasized the importance of their defense against Oczon in the fourth quarter.
This victory marks Mapua’s second finals appearance in the last three seasons and presents an opportunity to end a 32-year title drought, dating back to their back-to-back championships in 1990 and 1991.
Coach Alcantara, a key player in Mapua’s previous era of glory, is now on the verge of achieving a trifecta of triumphs, aiming to add a senior title as a coach to his four championships—two as a player and two as a Mapua high school coach.
Paolo Hernandez expressed the team’s determination, saying, “With Clint and Boni (skipper Warren Bonifacio), we’ll do our best makuha this season.” Hernandez, along with Escamis and Bonifacio, was part of Alcantara’s two NCAA high school champion squads.
On the other side of the semifinal showdown, San Beda displayed dominance over Lyceum of the Philippines, securing an 89-68 victory.
Jacob Cortez played a pivotal role with a career-high 28 points, forcing a deciding game for the right to face Mapua in the best-of-three finals.
San Beda’s mentor, Yuri Escueta, emphasized their focus on survival, stating, “Focused lang kami on this game (We were focused on this game).”
The do-or-die game is scheduled to take place at the Araneta Coliseum on Friday.
The scores:
First Game
Mapua (78) – Hernandez 22, Escamis 21, Cuenco 10, Bonifacio 9, Soriano 6, Rodillo 4, Recto 3, Asuncion 3, Igliane 0, Fornis 0, Dalisay 0.
Benilde (67) – Oczon 17, Corteza 14, Carlos 10, Gozum 9, Sangco 5, Mara 5, Turco 3, Arciaga 2, Marcos 2, Nayve 0, Cajucom 0, Marasigan 0, Davis 0.
Quarterscores: 14-18; 34-37; 56-55; 78-67
Second Game
San Beda (89);- Cortez 28, Andrada 12, Gonzales 12, Payosing 9, Puno 7, Visser 6, Tagle 6, Jopia 6, Alfaro 2, Cuntapay 1, Tagala 0, Torres 0.
LPU (68) – Valdez 14, Guadaña 12, Barba 10, Cunanan 9, Umali 8, Villegas 6, Bravo 4, Montaño 3, Omandac 2, Peñafiel 0, Saure 0, Fuentes 0, Versoza 0.
Quarterscores: 22-16; 52-38; 73-60; 89-68
(Amado Inigo/mnm)