By MARK REY MONTEJO

Clint Escamis displayed poise in front of huge pressure, drilling a crucial triple in crunchtime to lift Mapua past Lyceum, 87-83, and to the top spot in the NCAA Season 99 men’s basketball tournament at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City on Saturday, Oct. 14.

Escamis, who scattered 20 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and four steals, knocked down the booming triple with 35.6 on the clock, to seize an 85-82 lead which proved to be enough for the Cardinals to seal their fourth consecutive win this season.

Warren Bonifacio poured 20 points while Paolo Hernandez and Cuenco listed 15 and 13 points, respectively as Mapua’s registered its sixth win in seven games.

Mapua enjoyed a 17-point lead coming into the final period, 66-49, but it didn’t take too long for Lyceum to mount a comeback with the trio of John Bravo, Alvin Peñafiel and Shawn Umali rifled one triple each, to level the score at 77 apiece, which was also the fifth deadlock of the game.

Both teams traded baskets from there and was tied 82-all in the final minute setting up the table to Escamis heroics.

Meanwhile, Jacob Cortez anchored San Beda in the payoff period as it edged Jose Rizal University, 74-70.

Cortez drilled the crucial layup with 36.5 seconds remaining and knocked down two charities before Petro Alfaro aided him with two triples to secure their bounce back win for the Red Lions.

San Beda assistant coach Andre Santos lauded his wards, who followed their game plan en route to improving their win-loss tally to 4-2.

"We played the way we usually play, we had to come out of our comfort zone, and we saw ourselves how our defense [was] running," Santos said.

Cortez finished with 24 points, five rebounds, four steals and two assists while Alfaro scattered eight of his 12 points in the fourth period.

Jomel Puno also provided ample support with an almost double-double effort of nine points and 12 rebounds.

Cortez and Alfaro delivered when needed by combining for 15 points in the period.

It was the pair who had all the answers to JRU’s repeated attempts to snatch the win from the jaws of defeat.

In fact, the Bombers seized a 70-69 advantage following a Marwin Dionision basket with less than a minute to go.

It proved to be the Kalentong-based school’s last hurrah as San Beda shut the former down the rest of the way while Cortez delivered the killer blows with a layup and a pair of pressure-packed foul shouts.

JRU slipped to fifth with a 4-3 card despite Shawn Argente scoring with 14 points and Marwin Dionisio adding 13 points and five rebounds.