AFTER THE RED COMES GOLD: A 33-YEAR DROUGHT-BREAKING VICTORY FOR THE MAPÚA CARDINALS

The Mapúa Cardinals have finally declared timeout on the bleeding of their 3-decade waiting period with a golden shot that crowned them the Men's Basketball Champions of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Season 100.

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After an intense domination on the court of the Big Dome, the eighteen-man team's epic 94-82 win over the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Blazers in their best-of-three finals series last December 7 brought a historic milestone to Mapúa University, adding glory to the celebration of its 100th year in January. For the Intramuros-based squad, this centennial victory was no coincidence—behind the splendor of the trophy was a year of grueling training, arduous routines, and a whole lot of strategizing.

Under the phenomenal coaching of Randy Alcantara, a fellow Cardinal who helped win Mapúa's last back-to-back championship titles in 1990 and 1991, 1st-year BS Industrial Engineering student and Team Captain Clint Escamis perfectly articulated his group's viewpoint on the necessity of resolute teamwork and the sustenance of an unwavering team spirit throughout their journey to owning the crown—crucial elements their opponents failed to emulate.

"Last year's game was a wake-up call and a lesson," said Escamis, who reigned as 1/5 of this year's Mythical Team. "This sport demands more than just stamina. I needed to be composed in all aspects to lead my team, and through my coaches' mentorship, my teammates and I were able to maximize our athleticism despite a lot of us being rookies." he shared.