It seemed not too long ago when Clint Escamis and Jacob Cortez faced each other multiple times in the junior ranks of the NCAA when the former was powering Mapua and the latter was suiting up for La Salle Green Hills.
Those times, though, saw the two players play different roles.
Escamis was already the linchpin of the Red Robins while Cortez was a bench player who logged 10.2 minutes a game in one of his seasons with the Greenies, playing in the shadows of teammates like JD Cagulangan, Joshua David, and Inand Fornillos.
Years later, Escamis and Cortez have emerged as the top players of their respective schools, Mapua and San Beda, this time in the senior level.
"Grabe rin ‘yung progress niya knowing him since high school na sila JD Cagulangan and I know he’s off the bench pa," Escamis said of Cortez' rise to stardom.
"Nakakatuwa rin na nandito kami on the biggest stage, naglalaban ulit kami."
[His progress has been amazing for me, especially knowing him since high school, with him and JD Cagulangan. And I know he was coming off the bench too. It make me happy to see us here on the biggest stage, facing each other again.]
Escamis faced Cortez in the finals of Season 93 in 2017 when the Red Robins were chasing for back-to-back titles, but the Greenies spoiled that dream when they won in three games to deliver their first-ever juniors championship.
The following year, the two teams arranged a finals rematch but the Red Robins learned their lessons, exacting revenge as they outlasted LSGH to take home the Season 94 crown.
Escamis is hoping to repeat history when his Cardinals take on Cortez's Red Lions on Sunday for the do-or-die Game 3 of the NCAA Season 99 finals.
But the shifty guard knows the job of stopping Cortez and the res of the Red Lions won't be easy, like what transpired in Game 2 when the Mendiola crew pulled away late to eke out a 71-65 win.
"Nu’ng time na dinefend ko siya, I think that was in third quarter, okay naman and na-stop ko naman siya pero nu’ng time na nag-switch kami ni (Cyrus) Cuenco, pagod na rin siguro si Cyrus kasi grabe nga ‘yung game," Escamis recalled.
"Siyempre Jacob will be Jacob, he will make those buckets and alam naman namin na magba-bounce back siya."
[When I was defending him, I think that was in the third quarter, I was able to stop him but the time that we switched to Cuenco, I guess Cyrus was already tired because the game was so intense. Of course, Jacob being Jacob, he will make those buckets and we knew he was going to bounce back.]
—JMB, GMA Integrated News
