Cardinals, Lions for all the marbles

MANILA, Philippines — Mapua and San Beda face off today in the deciding NCAA Season 99 finals game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with each side seeking the victory that would make this Christmas a more memorable one.

The Cardinals should go all out for their first crown since reigning supreme 32 years ago while the Lions are out to reclaim the title they last captured five years back.

Apart from ending a drought, Mapua will be gunning for its seventh title overall while San Beda a league-best 23rd in all, and ahead of its closest pursuer Letran (20).

But after their expectedly titanic Game 3 duel set at 2 p.m. before a highly-anticipated massive crowd that should eclipse the season-high 22,465 patrons that packed the MOA Arena in Game 2 a week ago, only one would remain standing.

For Jacob Cortez, San Beda’s mercurial guard, he hopes it’s the Lions.

“Gusto lang namin manalo,” said the 21-year-old son of ex-PBA stalwart and La Salle star Mike Cortez.

But it would hinge on who between the two versions of Cortez would show up – the one who was mediocre in Game 1 that resulted to a 68-63 Mapua victory or the other who unleashed a tour-de-force 21-point effort laced with a pair of nuclear three-point bombs in the clutch of a 71-65 Game 2 win.

Cortez, however, continued to stress that the key wouldn’t just be how he performs, but how collective as a team they would be.

“It’s not just me, the other guys stepped up for us well during this game not just offensively but defensively,” said the third-year Management student. “Of course we always speak of playing together as a team, it›s what it’s all about.”

Like Cortez with San Beda, Mapua’s overall fate has coincidentally relied on Clint Escamis’ demeanor.

When Escamis was on target, just like in Game 1 when he fired 18 points including a critical triple and pair of foul shots late, Mapua did well.