Mapua University held off a tough Emilio Aguinaldo College squad as the Cardinals thwarted a fourth-quarter comeback attempt by the Generals and secured an 83-77 victory in the second round of the NCAA Season 99 Seniors Basketball Tournament on Wednesday at the Filoil Ecooil Centre.
The Cardinals nearly squandered a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter, but they ultimately held on to prevent the Generals from stealing the victory. After the game, assistant coach JR Carlos used their near slip-up to emphasize to his squad the importance of not letting their leads affect their mentality, whether it’s their standing or in-game leads.
“Of course masaya kami kasi ito naman yung gusto namin eh, pero gaya ng laging nireremind ni coach Randy sa team, hindi namin dapat tignan kung nasaan kami ngayon. One game at a time kasi walang madali eh. Kita naman natin we’re up by nineteen, pero pumikit ka lang nang saglit. Walang madali, talagang ang problema ay sa amin, kung ano ang approach namin both on offense and on defense, kung paano namin na execute yung gameplan,” explained Carlos.
Mapua had a 19-point advantage in the fourth quarter, leading 68-49 after a Ryle Rosillo jumper with 7:44 left in the game. However, with the momentum swinging in their favor, the Cardinals let their guard down, which EAC’s JP Maguliano promptly capitalized on.
Maguliano scored 13 points in the fourth quarter and sparked a massive 24-7 run that brought the Generals back into the game, cutting the Mapua lead to two, 75-73, after an and-1 putback from his own missed floater with 1:35 remaining in the game.
The Cardinals found themselves struggling to respond with their captain, Warren Bonifacio, sidelined due to an ankle injury sustained early in the fourth quarter.
After Maguliano’s free-throw brought the match to a single possession, the Mapua faithful’s hearts raced as Paolo Hernandez turned the ball over after the inbound pass, giving Ralph Robin an open lane for a layup. Fortunately for the Intramuros-based squad, Robin opted to pass instead of attempting the shot, but Hernandez intercepted the pass and fed Jopet Soriano for a fast break, resulting in a four-point swing in favor of the Cardinals.
With 35 seconds left on the clock, Clint Escamis once again stepped up in the clutch, sinking a crucial three-pointer over Kyle Ochavo, giving the Cardinals a six-point advantage and sealing the win.
After the game, Carlos commended his squad for weathering a massive rally even without their trusted captain on the court.
“Actually lagi naman namin sila nireremind, dapat ready kayo kung sino man bunutin ready lagi. Kasi ganoon lagi nireready yung mindset nila. Maganda naman yung naging outcome ng game kahit nung endgame nawala sa amin si Warren, pero siyempre iba pa rin yung presence na nandun siya, kasi yung leadership niya kailangan talaga, lalo especially sa mga ganoong sitwasyon,” said Carlos.
Replacing Bonifacio, Mapua’s rookie big man JC Recto finished with a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds. Escamis had a strong performance with 17 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three steals, and a block.
Before his injury, Bonifacio contributed 14 points, three rebounds, and two blocks in just 20 minutes and 40 seconds of action.
Mapua’s primary big man, Jopet Soriano, was also dealing with an injury, playing only 10 minutes and 28 seconds, scoring five points and grabbing four rebounds.
The Cardinals gained a much-needed advantage in their race for the number one spot in the standings, improving to an 11-3 record, giving them a half-game edge over Lyceum of the Philippines University. They will face another final four contender, San Beda University, on Sunday at 2:00 p.m.
Maguliano had a season-high 29 points and 10 rebounds as he led EAC’s comeback attempt, but his efforts fell short. Ochavo added 15 points with four three-pointers, while Cosejo contributed a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double.
The Generals moved further away from their final four goals with back-to-back losses, bringing their record to 7-7. They will look to rally against Arellano University on Saturday at 9:30 a.m.
The Scores:
Mapua 83 – Escamis 17, Bonifacio 14, Recto 12, Asuncion 9, Dalisay 8, Hernandez 6, Cuenco 5, Rosillo 5, Soriano 5, Igliane 2, Bancale 0
EAC 77 – Maguliano 29, Ochavo 15, Cosejo 14, Robin 9, Gurtiza 6, Tolentino 2, Angeles 2, Quinal 0, Luciano 0, Ednilag 0, Balowa 0, Loristo 0, Unpad 0, Cosa 0, Bacud 0
Quarterscores: 27-16, 44-35, 62-49, 83-77
