MANILA, Philippines — Mapua coach Randy Alcantara knew they would need to defend and rebound harder against bigger, taller rivals for them to have a shot at that dream NCAA championship that has eluded the school for more than three decades now.
They did.
“Disiplina sa depensa and rebounding kasi sa tatlong teams na nasa Final Four, kami pinakamaliit,” said Alcantara moments after the Cardinals downed the Arellano University Chiefs, 75-69, on Saturday to sweep the second round and leapfrog to the top at the end of the NCAA Season 100 elimination round at the Cuneta Astrodome.
“Hussle, effort at attitude ng players pinakita sa second round. Nakita nila hindi kaya ng isa o dalawa players, kailangan buo team magtulong tulong,” he added.
Thanks to their magnificence, the Cardinals finished with a 15-3 record and No. 1 for the second straight season.
It also arranged a Final Four showdown with Lyceum of the Philippines, which ended up at No. 4 with a 10-8 mark, slated Saturday at the same Pasay venue.
As top seed, the Cardinals would need just a victory to advance to the best-of-three finals the way they did a year ago when they won Game 1 and moved on the cusp of claiming a first NCAA seniors crown since winning it all in 1991.
But Mapua succumbed to pressure and lost the next two to eventual winner San Beda.
And with relief, the win helped Mapua evade facing a dangerous San Beda, which will finish at No. 3 regardless of its current game with San Sebastian, in the semis.
That problem was now on the lap of the College of St. Benilde Blazers, who slipped to No. 2 with a 14-4 mark.
Mercifully, CSB, like Mapua, owns a precious twice-to-beat incentive, which would give the former two chances to make the finals.
Bull-strong and energetic neophyte Chris Hubilla and reigning Most Valuable Player Clint Escamis each fired 12 points, while sweet-shooting Marc Cuenco scattered 11 in dealing AU its 11th defeat against seven wins.
To make it back to the finals, Alcantara said they would need to re-energize these next six days.
“As much as possible, we need fresh legs in the Final Four,” he said.
The scores:
Mapua 75 — Hubilla 12, Escamis 12, Cuenco 11, Recto 8, Garcia 8, Mangubat 7, Concepcion 6, Bancale 5, Igliane 3, Jabonete 3, Fermin 0, Abdulla 0.
AU 69 — Geronimo 15, Ongotan 13, Capulong 10, Hernal 10, Borromeo 7, Miller 3, Camay 3, Vinoya 2, Abiera 2, Rosalin 2, Espiritu 0, De Leon 0, Libang 0, Estacio 0.
Quarterscores: 22-10; 34-24; 57-44; 75-69.