NCAA: Mapua looks to end title drought, sweep San Beda

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="San Beda University battles it out with Mapua University in game 1 of the NCAA men" s="" basketball="" finals="" at="" the="" Mall="" of="" Asia="" Arena="" in="" Pasay="" City="" on="" December="" Jonathan="" ABS-CBN="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/12/10/20231206-ncaa-san-beda-mapua-jc-14.jpg"/><figcaption>San Beda University battles it out with Mapua University in game 1 of the NCAA men&#x27;s basketball finals at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on December 6, 2023. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA -- The Mapua Cardinals will try to clinch their first NCAA men&#x27;s basketball crown in 32 years when they take on the San Beda Red Lions in Game 2 of the Season 99 Finals, Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.</p><p>The Cardinals silenced Jacob Cortez and the Red Lions in Game 1, 68-63, last Wednesday. </p><p>They can secure their first title since 1991 with another win in Game 2, with tipoff set for 2:00 p.m. If they take care of business, it would be Mapua&#x27;s seventh men&#x27;s basketball title in the NCAA.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/06/23/ncaa-finals-mapua-takes-game-1-vs-san-beda">NCAA Finals: Mapua takes Game 1 vs San Beda</a></li></ul><p>But the Cardinals are wary of the Red Lions, who have already shown their grit in the Final 4 when they overcame a twice-to-beat disadvantage against the No. 2 Lyceum Pirates to advance to the Finals.</p><p>&quot;Hindi pa tapos ang laban at alam namin babawi San Beda and mag start strong sila sa Game 2 kaya kailangan maging ready lang kami,&quot; said Mapua captain Warren Bonifacio, who is hoping that Game 2 will be his final NCAA game with the Cardinals. </p><p>In Game 1, Mapua displayed disciplined defense and held Cortez, San Beda’s top scorer, scoreless in the first half before the sweet-shooting gunslinger tried and failed to rally his team back and had 12 points in the final half.</p><p>Clint Escamis led the way for the Cardinals in offense with 18 points, including a dagger three-pointer and two clutch free throws to put the game on ice. </p><p>Ahead of Game 2, Escamis is expected to be named the league&#x27;s Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player, becoming the first Cardinal to do so since Allwell Oraeme eight years ago.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/06/23/mapuas-rosillo-praised-for-defensive-job-on-san-bedas-cortez">NCAA Finals: Mapua’s Rosillo gets praise for fine defensive job on San Beda’s Cortez</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/07/23/money-shot-practices-pay-off-for-mapuas-escamis-in-game-1">&#x27;Money shot&#x27; practices pay off for Mapua&#x27;s Escamis in Game 1</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Actually, mga accolade sobra bonus, pero my main goal dito is the championship, yang mga yan (individual awards), dadating at dadating naman yan,&quot; said Escamis.</p><p>For San Beda, it is expected to likewise aim for the equalizer and force a no-tomorrow game next week at the Araneta Coliseum where it hopes to snare the crown it last captured five years ago.</p><p>At 9:00 a.m., Lyceum will face off against College of St. Benilde to determine the league&#x27;s bronze medalists for Season 99. </p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><strong><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IhUbDZTBNao?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></strong></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Mapua will try to clinch their first NCAA men's basketball crown in 32 years when they take on San Beda in Game 2 of the Season 99 Finals, Sunday.

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NCAA: Mapua looks to end title drought, sweep San Beda

NCAA: Mapua looks to end title drought, sweep San Beda

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 10, 2023 02:01 AM PHT

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basketball

NCAA

NCAA Season 99

NCAA basketball

Mapua Cardinals

San Beda Red Lions

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