By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Call it fate or coincidence, but it took a former player from its last championship squad to guide the Mapua Cardinals back on top in NCAA men’s basketball.
Coach Randy Alcantara and his stalwarts finally ended a 33-year wait, sweeping the College of St. Benilde Blazers in their best-of-three finals series with a 94-82 Game 2 victory at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last Saturday, Dec. 7.
Interestingly, the last time the Cardinals won the crown was during Alcantara’s time as a player as he was part of the back-to-back championship team under then coach Joel Banal.
For Alcantara, credit is not only his and his players alone. He offered the title to past coaches who served as his inspiration in working hard to bring the trophy back to the Cardinals’ nest.
“Hindi sa lahat ng coaches mabibigay itong pagkakataon na to. Yung mga dating coaches, malaking inspiration sila sa akin,” said Alcantara.
Prior to Alcantara, the Cardinals were guided by seasoned tacticians like Horacio Lim, Atoy Co, Chito Victolero and Leo Isaac.
While the title win — highlighted by a 12-game winning streak including a nine-game sweep of the second-round eliminations — finally snapped decades-old championship spell, slaying the ghost of last season’s heartbreak made it sweeter as far as Finals MVP Clint Escamis was concerned.
The Cardinals were one win away from winning that elusive trophy last year, only to lose twice to the San Beda Red Lions in the finals.
The pain stung so badly that Escamis used it as motivation to get the job done this time.
He and his teammates succeeded.
“I just want this so bad. Sobrang saya. Redemption tour complete,” he said.
“Job’s finished.”
