By: Miguel Caramoan
Clint Escamis may not always light up the scoreboard, but the Mapua guard continues to leave a mark wherever it matters most.
Even amid an uneven offensive stretch in NCAA Season 101, Escamis’ presence remains pivotal in the Cardinals’ system, impacting both ends of the floor.
Heading into their matchup against Group A leader Perpetual, Escamis was averaging just 10.3 points on 32.4% shooting. But in a statement performance, the Season 99 MVP found his rhythm, pouring in a team-high 18 points and dishing out five assists to lead Mapua to a 77-61 victory.
For Mapua head coach Randy Alcantara, Escamis’ value goes far beyond the box score. His defensive assignments and willingness to take on the opponent’s top perimeter threat exemplify the kind of anchor he is for the team — most notably in his containment of Mark Gojo Cruz.
“Actually, hindi ko masasabi na struggle kasi na wala na talaga siya maitutulong eh. Pero pag pinanood mo lahat ng games namin, siya yung kumukuha sa scorer ng opposing team. Siguro ibang Clint Escamis,” Alcantara said.
“Ngayon, siguro sa points, pero sa assists, rebounds, tsaka yung pagdepensa sa marked man sa kabilang team — malaking tulong na yon sa amin.”
Escamis embraces that responsibility, focusing less on whether his shots fall and more on what he can control: effort, intensity, and shutting down the other team’s best player.
“Para sa akin, gusto ko to guard the best players kasi gusto ko pakita sa team na willing ako mag-give up ng points para sa team. Lead by example, siyempre, makikita nila doon and mas gaganahan sila — sa defense mag-start. Offense will follow kasi yung mag-layup na lang kami kapag nakapag-stop kami,” said the 25-year-old guard from Manila.
Still, Escamis acknowledges the natural ebb and flow of confidence throughout a season. What matters most to him is maintaining consistent effort, trusting that results will come.
“Tao din talaga tayo eh, nawawalan ng kumpiyansa tapos nagkakakumpiyansa. Even if you’re the best player in the world, you have to do that. Good game, pero siyempre di pa rin titigil yung hard work,” he said.
With Mapua eyeing a successful title defense, Escamis’ priorities are clear. Individual accolades are secondary; his focus is on guiding the Cardinals to back-to-back championships.
“Syempre, back-to-back — yun talaga yung goal ko eh. Yung awards, tapos na yon eh, so more on the community, for the school, and yung name sa harap na Mapua. Gagawin ko talaga lahat para mag-back-to-back,” he said.
