LIVE UPDATES: Mapua vs San Beda, NCAA Season 99 finals Game 3 – December 17
MANILA, Philippines – After a week’s rest, the NCAA Season 99 men’s basketball tournament finally comes to an end as the Mapua Cardinals and San Beda Red Lions clash in a winner-take-all finals Game 3 at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, December 17, 2 pm.
San Beda, winner of eight of the last 12 titles and 22 overall, is gunning for its 23rd overall title after scoring an equalizing 71-65 Game 2 win over cold-shooting Mapua, which saw its newly-crowned MVP Clint Escamis go frigid with 15 points on a 4-of-21 clip.
With the Red Lions’ resurgence on the horizon, top team star Jacob Cortez is now looking for the kill after a stellar 21-point, 9-rebound Game 2 outing, while the likes of Jomel Puno and Clifford Jopia are expected to once again provide ample support in the post and on the boards.
Not keen to extend its 32-year drought, Mapua will look to rectify its lapses, still under the helm of Escamis, and complete its masterful season run that resulted in a surprise top seed finish.
Other veteran Cardinals like Warren Bonifacio and Paolo Hernandez will also be relied on to carry out the winning formula.
Will the Cardinals finish their redemption story with a long-awaited happy ending or will the Red Lions rebuild their dynasty with yet another golden conquest? – Rappler.com