St. Benilde Blazers’ Allen Liwag during Game 2 of the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball Finals against Mapua Cardinals. The Blazers lost. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—College of St. Benilde star Allen Liwag was nearly inconsolable after the Blazers fell short of winning the NCAA Season 100 championship at the hands of Mapua at Araneta Coliseum on Saturday. ADVERTISEMENT
After the Blazers absorbed the eliminating 94-82 loss at the expense of the Cardinals in Game 2 of the NCAA Finals, Benilde players started hugging and comforting each other after the heartbreaking loss.
Liwag, meanwhile, was on the bench with towel covering his head all the while.FEATURED STORIES
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NCAA Finals: Allen Liwag left speechless after Benilde heartbreaker
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Mapua ends 33-year drought, wins NCAA title with sweep of Benilde
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NCAA: Mapua gears up for possibility of title defense without its star
NCAA: Mapua gears up for possibility of title defense without its star
Mapua Cardinals’ coach Randy Alcantara and Finals MVP Clint Escamis after winning the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball championship. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Clint Escamis’ uncertain status for NCAA Season 101 hovered above Mapua coach Randy Alcantara after winning the championship that had eluded the Cardinals for 33 years.
But that didn’t dampen Alcantara’s excitement at all as he’s just happy to bring a title to Mapua, a feat that he was able to do as a player 33 years ago.
If anything, the veteran tactician was nothing but confident when asked about the squad’s future status following their historic triumph of the Season 100 title.
NCAA: Clint Escamis enjoys title for now amid questions about return
NCAA Season 100 Finals MVP Clint Escamis of Mapua Cardinals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—With Mapua’s NCAA Season 100 title celebration came the inevitable question of whether Clint Escamis will return to the Cardinals’ lineup for Season 101 or not.
Escamis, the Season 100 Finals MVP, officially has one year remaining with Mapua but instead of giving a straight answer, Escamis decided to let the talks go for now and instead relished the two hardware sitting in front of him. ADVERTISEMENT
“I’ll just enjoy this for now. All I know is, I’m a champion now, we’re all champions now,” said Escamis in Filipino after the Cardinals’ title-clinching 94-82 win over College of St. Benilde.
Mapua ends 33-year drought, wins NCAA title with sweep of Benilde
Mapua Cardinals’ coach Randy Alcantara and Finals MVP Clint Escamis after winning the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball championship. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Clint Escamis briskly walked off the Smart Araneta Coliseum last season, down in the dumps after the Mapua Cardinals let another championship slip away.
The King Cardinal stayed much longer on the Big Dome floor this time, finally bringing home the crown to their nest in the Finals of the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament on Saturday.
“This is a surreal moment, I just wanted this so badly. After 33 years, finally this is ours,’’ said Escamis after the Cardinals ended over three decades of heartbreaks and futility with a 94-82 closeout victory over the College of St. Benilde Blazers.
Escamis and coach Alcantara after ending Mapua’s 33-year-long drought. #NCAASeason100 | @MeloFuertesINQ pic.twitter.com/rUmAiLU7rg
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) December 7, 2024
LIVE UPDATES: NCAA Finals Game 2
PERFECT. TIMING. ⌚️
Clint Escamis knocks down a huge triple to put Mapua up, 82-66, with 4:14 to go in the game.
And yes, he let everyone know what time it is too. @INQUIRERSports #NCAASeason100 pic.twitter.com/PJ1MM4St7K
— Rommel Fuertes Jr. (@MeloFuertesINQ) December 7, 2024
Clint Escamis knocks down a huge triple to put Mapua up, 82-66, with 4:14 to go in the game.HISTORY CALLING, WILL MAPUA ANSWER?
Mapua leads Benilde, 66-56, at the end of the third quarter.
Are the Cardinals 10 minutes away from ending a long title-drought? #NCAASeason100 @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/dnJ0OlwtoR
— Rommel Fuertes Jr. (@MeloFuertesINQ) December 7, 2024
Mapua leads Benilde, 66-56, at the end of the third quarter.THE SEA OF RED AND YELLOW IS ALIVE 🔴🟡
Mapua chants fill up the Big Dome at the half of #NCAASeason100’s Game 2 of the Finals as the Cardinals lead Benilde at the end of two quarters, 45-37. @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/CsJTzy23w7
— Rommel Fuertes Jr. (@MeloFuertesINQ) December 7, 2024
BIG FIGHT IN THE BIG DOME
The Araneta Coliseum is rocking with Mapuans and Benildeans for Game 2 of the #NCAASeason100 Finals.
The Cardinals currently lead the Blazers, 26-23, with 8:51 to go. @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/87wmrDiolC
— Rommel Fuertes Jr. (@MeloFuertesINQ) December 7, 2024
NCAA: Allen Liwag bags MVP, three more awards in Season 100
St. Benilde Blazers Allen Liwag is the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament MVP. –NCAA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—College of St. Benilde’s Allen Liwag was awarded accordingly for his breakout run in the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament before Game 2 of the Season 100 Finals at Araneta Coliseum on Saturday.
Liwag, who powered the Blazers to the Finals, registered 52.38 PAV (Player Average Value) at the end of the elimination round to stand atop the competition and become Benilde’s second MVP in three seasons after Will Gozum in 2022.
The former Emilio Aguinaldo College averaged a double-double of 14.61 points and 11.28 rebounds per game for the Blazers to end up with a 14-4 record.
NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball awards
Mapua Cardinals’ Clint Escamis during the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament Finals against St. Benilde Blazers. –NCAA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Mapua star Clint Escamis has been reiterating one thing through the course of the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament.
If Escamis has anything to say about it, he doesn’t mind not winning the league’s MVP award for the second-straight time, as long as his Cardinals win the elusive title that slipped out of their grasp in Season 99.
After winning Game 1 of the Finals against College of St. Benilde, the shifty guard repeated his sentiments, for good measure.
NCAA Finals: Tony Ynot vows to bounce back after Game 1 woes
St. Benilde Blazers’ Tony Ynot during Game 1 of the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball Finals against Mapua Cardinals. –NCAA PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Tony Ynot struggled to get things going in St. Benilde’s Game 1 loss to Mapua in the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball Finals.
The Blazers absorbed an 84-73 loss at the hands of the Cardinals, with Ynot just finishing with seven points as a starter, as they moved on the brink of losing another shot at the title.
“With our defense, we didn’t even do that much. We had a lot of turnovers. We’ll just go back to [film] viewing, we’ll prepare to avoid our mistakes and we’ll fix it to bounce back for Game 2,” said Ynot in Filipino on Sunday after the loss.
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