LPU, Mapua ties at No.1

The LPU Pirates defeated the Mapua Cardinals 86-82 at the FilOil EcoOil Centre on Friday, November 3, to create a two-way tie for first place in the NCAA Season 99 Men’s Basketball Tournament.

LPU’s Patrick Montaño led the Pirates with eighteen points after making four of his five 3-point tries.

With 17 points on 6 of 9 shots, big man Shawn Umali, Vince Cunanan and John Bravo each scored in double figures with 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Clint Escamis led the Cardinals, who scored a game-high 25 points on an 8-of-16 field goal shooting ratio, pulled down four rebounds, and gave out four assists.

With 38 seconds remaining in the game, Escamis took over and carried the Cardinals back within striking distance, 79-82, after Mapua had fallen down by as much as 19 points halfway through the third quarter, 44-63.

After three consecutive free throws from LPU’s Renz Villegas gave the Pirates a two-possession lead, Escamis again answered with a cool-headed three-pointer to bring the score back to three points, 82-85, with 29.7 seconds remaining.

Escamis and the rest of the Cardinals were unfortunate to watch as Alvin Penafiel’s free throw on the next play gave the Pirates the victory, 86-82.

After the match, LPU and Mapua are tied at No.1 with a 9-3 scorecard.