Mapua University and San Beda University will face off in the NCAA Season 99 basketball finals starting on Wednesday as one of them will be the new kings of NCAA hoops.
This is a finals series which took more than three decades in the making and here's a look at where the two teams are stats-wise.
Streaks and standings
Mapua ended the elimination round on top with 15 wins and three losses as the Cardinals took the twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four. They eventually ousted De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, 78-67.
San Beda, on the other hand, finished third with 12 wins and six losses. Having the twice-to-win disadvantage against Lyceum of the Philippines University in the Final Four, the Red Lions forced a do-or-die which they eventually won, 82-78.
Mapua and San Beda are also the two hottest teams in the league heading into the Finals as the Cardinals have an ongoing win streak of 7, while the Red Lions have won 6 in a row.
Mapua last lost against LPU in November 3, 86-82, then won against San Sebastian (70-63), Emilio Aguinaldo College (83-77), San Beda (71-69), University of Perpetual Help System DALTA (69-53), Arellano University (84-75), and Jose Rizal University (77-74) in the elimination round, followed by their win against Benilde in the Final Four.
San Beda, meanwhile, survived multiple do-or-dies in their six-game streak which include wins against De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (65-61), JRU (74-69), LPU (74-56), and Letran (77-68), before winning two against LPU in the Final Four. Their last loss was against Mapua on November 12, 2023.
Season's beatings
Mapua swept San Beda in their two faceoffs in Season 99.
In their first round encounter last September 29, the Intramuros-based squad posted a rout of the Mendiola crew, 75-57. More than a month later, Mapua squeaked past San Beda, 71-69, thanks to a clutch trey from Paolo Hernandez.
Field goals percentage-wise, while it was obvious that Mapua won that category in the first round (48.3% vs. 30.6%), San Beda edged the Cardinals in the second round by a slight difference (38.5% vs. 37.9%). The Red Lions also won the second round in terms of rebounds with 48 against Mapua's 35.
However, in both games, Mapua was consistent in terms of steals. The Cardinals had it, 12-5, in the first round, and 10-3 in the second round.
Turnovers were also distinct for both squads, with San Beda having more, 22-14, in the first round, and 18-8, in the second round.
Points of contention
Despite being two of the top teams in the league, Mapua and San Beda have some points of contention in certain statistical categories.
Their two matchups alone showed a glimpse of how Mapua can bank on defense to win the crown.
Mapua leads the league in terms of steals with 10.56 per game, while San Beda ranks last with 5.17.
In terms of turnovers, Mapua has the least average with 13.28, while San Beda ranks third to the highest at 8th with 15.72 turnovers per game.
Rebounds-wise, however, San Beda has 45.72 per game and ranks second in the league, while Mapua is at last with 40.72.
In terms of offense, the two teams somehow fare similarly with San Beda's 3-pt shooting at 31.51%, the top in the league, while Mapua ranks third with 28.1%.
Starter points are also crucial as Mapua at the top has 48.89, while San Beda at third has 46.83 points.
Key matchup: Clint Escamis vs. Jacob Cortez
Two names that stand out from the two teams are Clint Escamis of Mapua and Jacob Cortez of San Beda.
Escamis, who has been described by their head coach Randy Alcantara as this season's gamechanger, is the frontrunner for the Most Valuable Player Award.
By the end of the elimination round, Escamis averaged 16.28 points, 5.83 rebounds, 4.22 assists, 3.78 steals, and 0.28 blocks.
Escamis leads the league in field goals percentage and steals -- a key factor in Mapua's games.
Cortez, meanwhile, has been San Beda's main guy and has posted 15.39 points, 3.56 rebounds, 3.44 assists, 1.17 steals, and 0.39 blocks per game.
The second generation player follows Escamis in field goals percentage.
Other key players to watch out for Mapua are Warren Bonifacio and Paolo Hernandez, two of the Cardinals' old reliables down the stretch.
For San Beda, one should check on the likes of Yukien Andrada and Jomel Puno as they have big contributions as well to the team.
Rookies JC Recto (Mapua) and Nygel Gonzales (San Beda) have also had their fair share of the spotlight in certain games this season.
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
