Titing Manalili had long looked forward to facing Clint Escamis in the collegiate ranks and he made sure to put on a show when the moment finally came.
The rookie guard delivered yet another clutch performance as Colegio de San Juan de Letran escaped Mapua University in an overtime thriller, 85-82, in the NCAA Season 101 on Tuesday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.
Manalili had two crucial passes that led to two Kevin Santos baskets in regulation while his free throws forced the overtime. He finished with a double-double of 14 points and 10 assist laced with six rebounds and one steal as the Knights surged to their fourth straight win after a 0-3 start.
It was also Manalili who took on the tough assignment of guarding Escamis in the final play of regulation, a potential game-winner for the Cardinals.
Escamis also finished with 14 points, alongside five assists and two steals.
"Sabi ko naman sa team, composed lang tayo kasi nga karamihan sa amin ay rookies tapos sila experienced na. Sabi ko sa kanila 'wag lang tayong masyadong tight," Manalili said.
"Sure naman ako and tiwala ako."
(I told the team, let's stay composed because we have a lot of rookies but they were very experienced. I told them not to play too tight... I was sure and I trusted them.)
Frontcourt weapons Santos and Aaron Buensalida forged an unstoppable tandem in the first half, where the Knights led by as many as 17 before the Cardinals made some runs that cut the deficit to just two at the half 41-38.
Mapua built on that momentum with Escamis, who had been struggling offensively in the past three games, firing a triple and Nitura converting a putback for a 74-70 lead in the fourth.
But a series of technical fouls called against Mapua allowed Letran to stage a 6-1 run, including two plays that saw Manalili dish two crafty dimes to Santos as they erected a 76-75 lead.
Mapua would regain a 78-76 advantage off a Cyrus Cuenco triple, before the latter fouled out, sending Manalili to the stripe as the first-year guard forced a 78-all deadlock with 27 ticks left in the fourth.
Escamis took matters into his own hands in the final plays of both the fourth period and overtime.
Against the defense of Manalili, Escamis drove to the middle and soar for the high jumper but went wide as the game went into overtime.
He once again tried to tie it in the extra period when Letran was protecting an 85-82 lead in the final 11.7 seconds, but the graduating guard's triple attempt didn't pan out as Letran survived.
Before that sequence, Escamis also had the chance to regain the lead but he only made one of three free throws following a costly foul from Buensalida, 82-83.
It was another off-night for Escamis as he was held to a dismal 4-of-11 shooting clip, but Mapua got a solid outing from transferee Cyrus Nitura as he poured 19 points, 15 rebounds, and three assists.
The loss saw Escamis struggle offensively for the fourth straight time, going under the 10-point margin in their last three games against Perpetual, San Sebastian, and San Beda.
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—JMB, GMA Integrated News
