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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider Mapua, San Beda go for all the marbles

Mapua, San Beda go for all the marbles

Published Dec 16, 2023 05:32 am

At A Glance

  • Will it be the Red Lions who are eyeing a return to the throne after years of heartbreaks in the past few seasons or will it be the Cardinals who have been long seeking to end their 32-year championship drought?

For one last time. For all the marbles.

Mapua and San Beda duke it out for glory in the all-or-nothing Game 3 of the NCAA Season 99 men’s basketball tournament Finals on Sunday, Dec. 17, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.

27. SBU JACOB CORTEZ (1).jpg

Will it be the Red Lions who are eyeing a return to the throne after years of heartbreaks in the past few seasons or will it be the Cardinals who have been long seeking to end their 32-year championship drought?

Everything will have its answers in their 2 p.m decider as none of the first two Finals games anymore matter for both teams who are drawing inspiration from their Finals showdown three decades ago.

San Beda head coach Yuri Escueta along with his wards are hoping to prevent history from repeating itself and making sure that they would go all out and there will be no regrets when the buzzer finally sounds.

“He was the guy who missed the boxout kay Benny Cheng no’ng 1991. ‘Yong offensive rebound ni Benny Cheng and kinwento niya ‘yong experience na ‘yon,” San Beda head coach Yuri Escueta talking about Teddy Alamarez, a part of the San Beda team that lost to Mapua in Game 3 of the Season 67 Finals.

“Even now, naiisip pa rin niya ‘yon. So he just told our players to fight until the end and not let the opportunities slip which really encouraged and inspired everyone, not just the players, even the coaches,” he added.

Interestingly, that year was also the last time Mapua, then had current head coach Randy Alcantara as one of its players, raised the NCAA trophy, something the Cardinals want to replicate after 32 long years.

“Gutom kami na manalo eh. Enough motivation na yung 32 years for Mapua. Kailangang ibigay na namin lahat-lahat,” said Mapua big man Warren Bonifacio said.

“Kumbaga 32 years para din sa kanila coach Randy (Alcantara) at para sa buong Mapua community, para sa kanila to,” added the season Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player Clint Escamis.

Related Tags

San Beda Red Lions Mapua Cardinals NCAA Season 99
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