By MARK REY MONTEJO
Mapua is marching on to the NCAA Season 99 Finals with one goal in mind – to end an agonizing 32-year long wait to finally bring the crown back to the Cardinals’ nest.
No less than their top gunners in rookie star Clint Escamis and veteran forward Paolo Hernandez are determined to reclaim the lost glory for the Cardinals which they last won in 1991 when their head coach Randy Alcantara was still part of the team as one of the players.
Hernandez said he was just glad to finally repay the trust given to him by Alcantara ever since he got him to play with Mapua in high school up to this day.
“Unang-una [I’m] very thankful talaga eh kasi bago pa ako makarating ng Mapua no’ng high school, kumbaga parang napulot lang ako ni coach Randy and sabi ko someday dito ako maglalaro sa coach na to and dadalhin ko sa finals tong coach na to,” said Hernandez.
“Yung trust talaga nandon eh kasi nga maraming games na akong struggle, yung tiwala talaga [nila sa akin] andon eh, I’m just doing best to return that trust na galing sa mga teammates ko, sa coaching staff, lalo na kay coach Randy na grabe mag-motivate,” he added after firing 22 points to lead Mapua to a 78-67 victory and dispatch College of St. Benilde.
While glad that their extra work at every end of practice is finally bearing fruit, Escamis, who provided support to Hernandez with 21 points, insisted that they are keeping their eyes on the big prize – to win the title for Alcantara and the rest of the Mapua community.
“Since day 1 pala kaming nagpupushan ni Pao, beginning of preseason palang nagu-unahan kami sa ensayo. Lagi ko syang inaaya sa extra work namin and I’m happy na nandito na kami sa sitwasyon na nagbunga na yung hardwork namin yung tiwala namin sa isa’t isa and hindi pa tapos ang misyon namin,” Escamis shared.
“Kumbaga 32 years para din kila coach Randy at para sa buong Mapua community, para sa kanila to,” he concluded.
