By: Miguel Caramoan
After being crowned NCAA Season 99 MVP and leading Mapua University to the Season 100 championship, Clint Escamis faced multiple paths for his next step.
Turning professional seemed the most obvious choice, with projections pegging him as a likely first-round pick in the 2025 PBA Draft and even drawing interest from a KBL team.
Yet, despite the allure, Escamis made a surprising decision: he chose to stay in Intramuros for one final collegiate run.
His goal was clear — guide the Cardinals to back-to-back titles and close out his amateur career on his own terms.
But the ending was far from the storybook finish he envisioned. Mapua fell to the Benilde Blazers, 74-72, in the quarterfinals, abruptly ending their title defense.
To make matters worse, Escamis was ejected from the game with a disqualifying foul, a dramatic punctuation to his NCAA journey.
“Dapat mag-go lang ako for the boxout, so siko dapat. Kasi gumalaw siya and nakita ng referees na close fist ata, dapat bo-boxout ako ng pasiko, which I usually do. Kaso ayun nakita ng referees eh, so you got to respect that,” the graduating guard said.
Offense didn’t come easy for Escamis this season.
Over 13 games, he averaged 10.7 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 4.0 assists while shooting just 32.4-percent from the field — a steep drop from his MVP numbers.
The struggles became even more apparent in the postseason.
During Mapua’s two playoff games, his production sank further, scoring just 2.5 points per game and going 0-of-16 from the field. For a player known for clutch performances and late-game heroics, it was an uncharacteristic stretch.
But there was more behind the decline than met the eye. Just two days before the season opener, Escamis received news that affected both his mobility and consistency throughout the campaign.
“Kasi may punit ako sa lateral meniscus ko tapos medial meniscus may punit din ako. Every game I felt yung knee ko sobrang swelling talaga, then nung Perpetual na game na hyperextend yung elbow ko,” the 25-year-old combo guard said.
“I’ve been recovering and I’ve been on medication all throughout the season.”
Now, with his NCAA career officially over, recovery becomes the next critical step. Escamis admits he has yet to fully follow the medical protocols recommended to him.
“Kailangan ko mag-second opinion kasi yung binigay sa akin ng doktor na kailangan ko daw magpa-opera — pero not sure kasi kailangan ko pa bumalik, kaso di pa ko nakabalik kasi kailangan ko ipilit,” he said.
The professional ranks await, though he will now enter a loaded 2027 draft class. With limited opportunities in the immediate future, a stint in the MPBL may be the most viable path.
“May possibility naman pero idedecide ko pa lang with family and my agent,” the 5-foot-11 guard from Manila said.
By skipping the 2025 PBA Draft, Escamis now joins a talent-rich pool featuring projected stars such as Mike Phillips, Kymani Ladi, Jake Figueroa, Nic Cabanero, Harold Alarcon, Ced Manzano, Mason Amos, Jacob Cortez, Kean Baclaan, Dom Escobar, Gerry Abadiano, John Abate, Forthsky Padrigao, and many others.
For Escamis, returning to Mapua was never about draft stock — it was about loyalty to the program that gave him a chance.
“For me coming back, hindi ko naman iniisip na bumaba draft stock ko eh. Ang inaano ko lang is for the school, for the one who gave me the opportunity and the chance – Coach Randy (Alcantara) and Mapua,” he said.
“So it’s my way of giving back and marami din kasi nagtatanong especially ‘are you sure going back?’ For me, never been sure of going back to Mapua.”
