Romwel Anzures

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MANILA – The Asiabasket 2025 College Campus Tour kicked off with three matchups featuring some of the best collegiate teams in the country.The Mapua University Cardinals showcased their championship pedigree to highlight the opening contest of the tilt, fending off the FEU Tamaraws with a hard-fought 69-60 victory on Sunday in a game defined by defense.FEU started strong with a 10-0 run, but Mapua responded with a crucial 15-0 surge to take control. The Cardinals held the lead for over 30 minutes, despite the Tamaraws’ late push that trimmed the deficit to just three points in the fourth quarter.Joe Gulapa led the way for Mapua, earning Player of the Game honors with a double-double of 14 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. Team captain and reigning NCAA MVP Clint Escamis contributed seven points, four rebounds, an assist, and five steals. EJ Sapasap also provided an efficient scoring spark with 11 points on 71.4% shooting.For FEU, Adam Nakai paced the team with 12 points, two rebounds, and one steal, while Miguel Ona and Montell Shelton chipped in seven points each. Liam Salangsang added 10 points despite struggling from beyond the arc.Mapua’s ability to capitalize on FEU’s mistakes proved crucial, scoring 23 points off turnovers while also dominating fast-break opportunities with 18 transition points. The Cardinals built their biggest lead of 13 points in the first quarter, while FEU’s largest lead was 10 points during their early offensive surge.Aside from Mapua, another NCAA squad opened their campaign in victorious fashion.  The Emilio Aguinaldo College Generals displayed poise and control in an 80-69 victory over the St. Clare College of Caloocan Saints.EAC jumped to an early lead and maintained control for most of the game, leading for over 37 minutes. St. Clare made a push in the third quarter, briefly taking a two-point lead, but the Generals responded with an 8-0 run to reclaim control and never looked back.Jethro Bacud led EAC with a stellar performance, scoring 15 points on an efficient 7-of-8 shooting while also grabbing five rebounds. Team captain Nico Quiñal added 14 points, while Kyle Ochavo provided 13 points and eight rebounds.St. Clare’s Lex Gazzingan recorded a game-high 16 points, and Mark Angelo Ibanez contributed 10 points in a losing effort.EAC’s speed and athleticism in transition were key, outscoring St. Clare 19-6 in fast-break points. The Generals also capitalized on their inside presence, dominating the paint with 42 points compared to St. Clare’s 24. With this victory, EAC asserted itself as a team to watch in the tournament.In the final game of the day, the Lyceum Pirates spoiled the home debut of the Perpetual Altas, securing a 67-60 victory on Perpetual’s home floor.The contest was a back-and-forth affair with ten lead changes and three ties, keeping the home crowd on edge.Lyceum held a narrow 14-13 lead after the first quarter and extended their advantage to 36-30 by halftime. Perpetual made a strong push in the third, outscoring Lyceum 24-18 to tie the game at 54-54 entering the final frame.However, the Pirates&#x27; defense took over in the closing stretch, limiting the Altas to just six points in the fourth quarter while executing timely baskets to seal the win.Gyle Montaño delivered an impressive performance for Lyceum, scoring 14 points while grabbing 6 rebounds. Renz Villegas added 10 points, six assists, and three rebounds, while Jonathan Daileg provided a solid 10-point, four-rebound effort.For Perpetual, JP Boral led the charge with 10 points and six rebounds, while Kenji Duremdes contributed eight points and five rebounds, shooting a perfect 3-of-3 from the field. Iñigo Montemayor also made an impact with five points, six rebounds, and four assists.Lyceum took advantage of Perpetual’s errors, scoring 15 points off turnovers while controlling the pace with 14 fast-break points. Their biggest lead of 10 points (36-26) came in the second quarter, while Perpetual’s largest lead was just three points late in the third quarter (54-51).

The Asiabasket 2025 College Campus Tour kicked off with three exciting matchups featuring some of the best collegiate teams in the country.

The Asiabasket 2025 College Campus Tour kicked off with three exciting matchups featuring some of the best collegiate teams in the country.

Mapua overwhelms FEU to open AsiaBasket 2025 College Campus Tour

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Mapua overwhelms FEU to open AsiaBasket 2025 College Campus Tour

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Published March 17, 2025 07:51 PM PHT

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