When you become champion, you turn from the hunter to being the hunted.
For Mapua University, it has been a turbulent NCAA Season 101 for them thus far, incurring a 7-5 win-loss record.
Nevertheless, the defending kings of the NCAA still find themselves in second place in Group A, securing their place in the quarterfinals after grinding out a 77-72 win against San Sebastian College.
Mapua had to work hard to claim victory against the Golden Stags. Despite leading by as many as 19 points, the matchup went into overtime–with a corner triple from Yam Concepcion proving to be the difference between the two squads.
For the swingman, his crucial shot that gave the Cardinals their third consecutive win was the fruit of his extra effort beyond practice.
“Talagang pinaghandaan ko ngayong season ‘yan. Talagang tinatrabaho ko ‘yan. Syempre, nai-scout tayo ng ibang team, kailangan nating mag-ensayo, mag-extra palagi,” said Concepcion on his game-winning shot.
(I really prepared that for this season. I worked on that. Of course, we've been scouted by other teams so we need to practice, do extra practice all the time.)
Contemplating on the year that the Cardinals have had thus far, graduating player and leader Clint Escamis stays on an even keel as this new iteration of Mapua continues to navigate expectations for back-to-back titles.
“Sinasabi ko sa kanila and motivation ko sa kanila, wala pa naman kayong napapatunayan eh,” said Escamis when asked about how he reminds the team to be grounded in hopes of eventually leaving their own legacy.
“But nakikita ko naman sa kanila ngayon humble sila, hungry sila and syempre gusto din naman mag-champion…So, tuloy-tuloy lang yung trabaho namin and tuloy lang ang paalala sa teammates ko na kulang pa yung ginagawa namin,” added the former NCAA Most Valuable Player.
(I told them and my motivation for them is they haven't proven anything yet... But I see in them, they're humble, they're hungry, and they want to become champions... So we continue to put in the work and we continue to remind our teammates that we aren't doing enough.)
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Echoing Escamis’ call, Concepcion asserts that his team will do whatever it takes to bring home the crown anew.
“Talagang pinagdadasal lang talaga namin bawat every game. Maging ready lang kami. Tapos, yun, depensahan namin yung korona na ‘to. Yun talaga yung number one purpose namin.”
(We really praying about that for each game. We need to be ready. We need to defend this crown. That's our number one purpose.)
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
