The red-hot Mapua Cardinals continued their impressive run in the NCAA Season 102 Men’s Basketball Tournament after dismantling the San Sebastian Golden Stags, 71-43, on Monday evening to collect their sixth straight win.
Mapua shook off a sluggish opening stretch by closing the first quarter with a 15-1 run, turning the game in its favor and establishing a 22-14 lead.
The Cardinals maintained their advantage in the second period, limiting San Sebastian’s opportunities to trim the deficit as they entered halftime ahead, 33-24.
Despite holding a nine-point cushion, Mapua delivered its most decisive performance after the break, with reigning Collegiate Press Corps Player of the Week Cyrus Cuenco leading the charge.
Cyrus Cuenco Erupts for 17 Points in the Third
Cuenco took over in the third quarter, pouring in 17 points to fuel Mapua’s commanding 27-8 run. He even scored 10 consecutive points during the period, outscoring the entire San Sebastian squad in the quarter and pushing the Cardinals’ advantage to 60-32 heading into the final frame.
The senior guard finished with 25 points on 9-of-15 shooting, alongside 2 assists, and 3 steals as Mapua built a lead of as many as 32 points.
Yam Concepcion also delivered an all-around performance, recording a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds while adding 3 assists, 3 steals, and a block.
Mapua’s defensive effort kept the Golden Stags to just 43 points, the lowest scoring output by any team in the tournament this season. San Sebastian also struggled with its shooting and ball security, finishing with a 25 percent field-goal percentage and committing 15 turnovers against just 7 assists.
Mapua Keeps Eyes on Ultimate Prize
Despite the Cardinals’ dominant victory, Cuenco stressed that the team must remain focused on each game as it continues its pursuit of the NCAA championship.
“Lagi naman sinasabi sa’min ni coach Chito [Victolero] na ang pinakaimportanteng game na lalaruin namin ay ‘yong present,” Cuenco said in the postgame interview. “Sobrang importante ng panalo na ‘to ngayon. Siyempre, going back sa group of death, malaking bagay ‘to sa momentum namin.”
Concepcion’s double-double provided additional support, while Caesleyh Bacani paced San Sebastian with 12 points. Ralph Gabat contributed 10 points for the Golden Stags, who will continue their search for their first victory of the season.
Mapua will look to extend its winning streak to seven games when it faces the Benilde Blazers on October 26. Meanwhile, San Sebastian will attempt to break its losing streak when it takes on the Letran Knights on October 23.
