MANILA, Philippines — Mapua University, which has not won an NCAA championship since 1991, is back in the finals in the centennial year of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
The Cardinals reached the Finals for the second consecutive season after taking down Lyceum of the Philippines University, 89-79, in the Final Four on Saturday at the Cuneta Astrodome.
Last year’s NCAA Most Valuable Player (MVP) Clint Escamis made a career-high performance as he scored 33 points, four rebounds and three assists, two steals, and a block to lift his squad past the pesky Pirates.
This is Mapua’s third Finals appearance in the past four seasons.
Chris Hubilla and JC Recto scored 17 and 10 points, respectively for Mapua.
Lyceum was led by JM Bravo who scored 20 points as Ato Barba added 14 points.
The scores:
MAPÚA (89) – Escamis 33, Hubilla 17, Recto 10, Mangubat 7, Concepcion 7, Cuenco 6, Igliane 4, Bancale 4, Jabonete 1, Ryan 0, Garcia 0
LYCEUM (79) – Bravo 20, Barba 14, Vilegas 12, Guadaña 12, Daileg 6, Versoza 6, Moralejo 3, Cunanan 2, Montaño 2, Peñafiel 2, Aviles 0
Quarter scores: 29-21, 55-46, 63-65, 89-79
