The differences between the Season 98 and Season 99 squads of Mapua University in the NCAA Seniors Basketball Tournament have been night and day.
Expected to rise even stronger after their finals loss in Season 97, Mapua’s trajectory drastically turned the other way as they stumbled to start Season 98, losing their first seven matches.
After their slow start, the Cardinals’ season ended in heartbreak as they missed the final four completely.
This year head coach Randy Alcantara ensured that the squad used the sorrows from the previous year as motivation.
He wanted to make sure his student-athletes worked to never feel that way ever again.
“Yun ang naging masakit na nangyari sa amin last season, yun ang naging motivation namin.
“Ano lang talaga is to compete every game at naging maganda yung resulta, and of course siyempre yung hard work and teamwork ng mga players yun talaga, pati yung trust nila doon sa mga kakampi nila,” explained Alcantara.
The motivation ultimately worked wonders as the Cardinals dominated the elimination rounds of Season 99 as the first team to clinch a Final Four spot.
Alcantara’s Cardinals secured a 13-3 record after thrashing University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, 69-53.
Moreover, they pushed the Altas to the brink of elimination and ending their four-game win streak.
Motivation is not the only difference between Mapua’s season 98 and 99 stints though.
What tipped the scales for the Cardinals was the arrival of Clint Escamis, whom Alcantara admitted was the missing piece in what was a near-complete Cardinals squad.
“Yes, wala na, obvious naman talaga. Lahat naman sila, mayroon kaming energy guy, game-changer, leader. And of course hindi maano yung leadership nila Warren Bonifacio.
“Malaking bagay yung addition ni Clint sa amin. Pero siyempre biggest support yung mga veterans like Boni, Jopet (Soriano), and Paolo (Hernandez),” explained Alcantara about the transferee out of University of the East.
“Talagang hindi namin to mararating itong standing na ito without the help of the others and of course the veterans. Siyempre, Clint Escamis was a good addition.”
Under Alcantara’s tutelage in Mapua, Escamis has transformed into an MVP candidate in what is just his rookie year in the NCAA.
The 5-foot-111 do-it-all guard is averaging 15.73 points, 6.07 rebounds, 4.27 assists, and 3.73 steals in his 33:25 minutes of play.
Escamis’ versatility as an offensive weapon alongside his consistency in the clutch has tipped the scales in Mapua’s favor in countless games in the NCAA.
And Alcantara knows how important his former high school standout is to his team.
With a Final Four berth secured, the Cardinals still look to close out the elimination rounds strong as they play Arellano University on Friday, 3:30 PM.
