MAPUA-MALAYAN beat reigning champion College of Saint Benilde-La Salle Greenhills, 95-81, on Friday in the NCAA Season 94 juniors basketball tournament at the Filoil Flying V Centre.
Clint Escamis finished with 28 points and seven rebounds for the Red Robins as he atoned for a foul-plagued performance in a loss to Jose Rizal University last week.
This time, Escamis played all but two minutes in the contest, scoring 10 points in the fourth quarter to take charge for Mapua.
Dan Arches had 16 points while Jonnel Policarpio had 15 points for the Red Robins, who also got a team-high nine rebounds from Roseler Sarias.
It was the first time the two teams met in the NCAA since the Red Robins lost to the Greenies in a hard-fought three-game finals series last year.
Joshua David had 19 points, while Joel Cagulangan had 14 points for LSGH, which dropped to 1-1. Inand Fornilos chipped in 14 points and 12 rebounds in a losing cause.
In the second game, Lyceum nipped Jose Rizal University, 88-87, to improve its mark to 2-1.
John Barba exploded with 30 points for the Junior Pirates, while McLaude Guadana had 21 points in a winning effort.
LPU spoiled the efforts of John Amores, who fired 32 points for the Light Bombers. JRU fell to 1-1.
In Thursday’s juniors action, former Mapua cager Romuel Junsay had 34 points in his debut with Arellano as the Braves bested Emilio Aguinaldo College, 79-77.
Aaron Fermin had 10 points and 23 rebounds for the Braves, whose first game of the season ended with a victory.
EAC slid to 0-2.
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