Mapua Cardinals pour it on in the second half to snap a three-decade long title drought in the NCAA, closing out the Benilde Blazers in Game 2 of the Season 100 Finals.
The Mapua Cardinals closed the door on the CSB Blazers in Game 2, 94-82, to clinch the title in NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday.
After a strong start from the Blazers early on in the first quarter, Mapua shifted to another gear in the second half where the Cardinals broke the game open to complete the series sweep, 2-0.
This is the Cardinals’ first championship since winning back-to-back titles in 1990 and 1991, snapping a 33-year drought.
In the second half, it was all Mapua as the Cardinals ran away from the Blazers. Clint Escamis gave Mapua its largest lead of the fourth quarter when he hit a triple with 4:14 ticks left to make it 82-66.
Four different Cardinals finished in double-digit scoring led by Cyrus Cuenco’s 19 points. He also had two rebounds, four assists, and one steal.
Escamis was the second leading scorer with 18 markers, to go along with one rebound, four assists, and three steals. Lawrence Mangubat and Chris Hubilla rounded up the top scorers with 17 and 15 points, respectively.
Escamis was named Finals MVP after averaging 24 points, four assists, and four steals in the two Finals games.
The Cardinals thus completed their redemption season after losing the Finals last season against the San Beda Red Lions.
En route to the championship, Mapua finished the elimination round as the no. 1 seed with a 15-3 slate.
They finished off season hosts Lyceum in one game in the semifinals, 89-79.
Meanwhile, Justine Sanchez top scored for Benilde with 24 points. Freshly-crowned MVP Allen Liwag finished with a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds in the losing effort.