The Mapua Cardinals are not resting on their laurels despite drawing the first blood in their championship series against the College of St. Benilde Blazers in the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball.

After all, the tournament is far from over.

“Siyempre masarap sa pakiramdam na manalo sa Game 1, but job is not yet done,” said reigning Most Valuable Player Clint Escamis moments after they took Game 1, 84-73, of their best-of-three finals over the weekend.

Escamis added there was no time to relax and no room for errors this time since they are threading into a familiar situation where they grabbed the first game, only to lose the next two and yield the title to the San Beda Red Lions last season.

“Feeling ko naman natuto na kami from last season,” said Escamis, who dropped 30 points, five steals and four assists.

“Sobrang sakit kasi yung nangyari last season na one win away na lang kami sa title, natalo pa. Feeling ko mas sobrang saking pa yon kesa sa last place standing. So nag-rebuilt lang kami. and I think it takes good coaches and players to buy in to that system na makabangon.”

JC Recto, who contributed 15 points, echoed the sentiment.

“Nakakahinga na nang maluwag pero dapat stay composed lang din kami ngayon. Hindi kami pwedeng mawala sa focus,” said Recto.

“Last year, konting mali lang namin, dinidiin na kami ng Beda kaya ganun ang nangyari, so this time, talagang gagawin namin ang best namin,” he added.

Though momentum is on their side heading to Game 2 on Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Escamis said they still needed to improve on their game plan.

The Cardinals were able to put defensive stops on the Blazers, even forcing them to turnovers, but key players Allen Liwag, Gab Cometa and Jhomel Ancheta still finished in double figures with 18, 13 and 10 points, respectively.

“Siyempre mag-a-adjust yung Benilde. Kami rin mag-a-adjust. We were able to limit their key players, pero mas kailangang pulido pa dapat kami sa game plan namin,” he said.

Another win for Mapua would finally end its 33-year championship spell. A loss, however, would force them into a deciding game on Dec. 14.