Clint Escamis led the charge as Mapua booked its return trip to the Final Four with a 69-53 rout of University of Perpetual Help in the NCAA Season 99 men’s basketball tournament on Wednesday, Nov. 15, at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
The Cardinals star rookie continued to make a case for the Most Valuable Player plum by putting up an all-around effort of 17 points, four rebounds, four assists, six steals and a block to carry his team back to the semifinals which they last achieved in Season 97.
It was a low scoring affair in the first two quarters with both teams both finishing below 30 points after a series of offensive droughts.
Escamis and the Cardinals, however, got things going and used a third quarter flurry to establish a lead that went to as high as 22 points.
Warren Bonifacio aided Mapua by chalking up 11 points, six rebounds and three assists while Jopet Soriano had 10 points, seven rebounds and two steals as the Cardinals notched their fourth-straight win to improve to a 13-3 card and the solo lead in the standings.
Art Roque and Christian Pagaran tried to carry the fight for the Las Piñas-based squad but to no avail as Mapua simply had answers to their every run.
Roque had a double-double performance outing for Perpetual with 13 points and also grabbed 12 rebounds while Pagaran backed him with nine points and four rebounds.
All is not lost for Perpetual’s Final Four bid as it still holds a slim chance of advancing to the playoffs even after dropping to an 8-8 record good for a tie for the sixth and seventh spots with Emilio Aguinaldo College.
The scores
MAPUA 69- Escamis 17, Bonifacio 11, Soriano 10, Cuenco 8, Dalisay 6, Recto 4, Rossilos 4, Morenos 4, Hernandez 3, Igiliane 2, Asuncion 0, Bancale 0, Sabsalon 0.
UPH 53– Roque 13, Pagaran 9, Abis 7, Nitura 6, Razon 6, Gelsano 4, Omega 3, Barcuma 3, Ferreras 2, Nunez 0, Boral 0, Cuevas 0.
Quarters: 11-8; 29-21; 56-36; 69-53.
