EIGHT years ago, the Clint Escamis-Randy Alcantara partnership ended a 16-year title wait for the Mapua Red Robins.
Little did the Mapua community know that it would be the very same partnership that will bring the rains of confetti to Intramuros which had been enduring a 33-year drought for a championship.
Escamis and Alcantara stood side-by-side, fists high in the air, tears flowing down their respective cheeks – this time out of jubilation – as they sang the Mapua hymn proudly alongside the thousands of fans in celebration following their title-clinching 94-82 win over Benilde Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
READ: Mapua sweeps Benilde to seize first title since 1991
When reminded about all the things they’ve accomplished together, Alcantara was lost for words – opting to stay grateful that he even got the chance to coach a talent like Escamis.
“Itong nasa kanan ko, lumaki sa sigaw,” Alcantara said in jest during their post-championship press conference, with Escamis seated to his right.
“It’s [a] very special [partnership]. Sobrang swerte na nakakuha kami ng ganitong klaseng player. Hindi nagpapatalo, nakita natin yan juniors pa lang. Last finals, may injury pa siya nun, pero naglaro pa rin. Iba ang puso ng Clint Escamis,” he added.
Reunited and it feels so good
This story, however, almost didn’t come to be, as Escamis left Mapua in 2019 to join University of the East after winning two NCAA juniors titles with Alcantara.
But as fate would have it, Escamis never really found his footing in Recto, while in Intramuros, a coaching change in the Cardinals camp was brewing.
Proving himself as an excellent tactician with the Red Robins, Alcantara was promoted to head coach after being a longtime assistant to then-shot-caller Atoy Co.
After years of disappointment for Mapua, which witnessed recent talents like Josan Nimes, Allwell Oraeme, Joseph Eriobu, Warren Bonifacio, and Paolo Hernandez all miss out on a title, that was when things began to fall into place.
And Escamis' homecoming - with much thanks to Alcantara - was the icing on the cake that was the red-and-gold's return to legitimate contention.
“Siguro, mga 50-percent ng decision ko, dahil sa kanya,” Escamis told SPIN.ph.
“Sobrang laking bagay niya sa decision ko kasi father figure ko siya, high school pa lang ako.”
That partnership didn’t result in a championship right away, though. And in fact, it had to go through disappointment.
In Escamis’ first year of eligibility in Season 99, the Cardinals were one win away from winning it all, only to lose the next two games to San Beda.
But for the 24-year-old, the fact his Rookie MVP campaign was all for naught only makes his and his crew's comeback all the way to this championship all the sweeter.
“Ang dami na naming pinagdaanan talaga. Nanalo kami nung high school, nag-rebuild, tapos nakapag-championship kami, natalo kami when we were one win away from the title,” Escamis recalled.
“Lahat, pinagdaanan talaga namin, grabe. I think we deserve this moment together. Yung bond namin, iba e. Iba yung connection namin.”
Escamis described Alcantara as a ‘father figure,’ someone who saw potential in him long before he was the MVP that people know today.
As such, he acknowledged that he wouldn’t be the same player if Alcantara didn’t take a chance on him back then.
“That’s my father figure talaga. He took a chance on me back when I was trying out for other schools, back when I was in high school. I owe him a lot talaga kasi nung nag-Mapua ako, nag-blossom ang career ko e,” he said.
“Ang laki ng in-improve ko at dahil dun yun sa binigay niyang kumpyansa sakin, kaya coming here, gusto ko talaga maibigay at maibalik lahat.”
Promise fulfilled, mission accomplished
For sure, Escamis returned the favor, and by leading Mapua to the promised land, he pushed Alcantara to rarified air within the community, as the soft-spoken mentor now joins his former coach Joel Banal as Mapuans who won titles as both player and coach.
Alcantara shared that Escamis actually assured him of a championship right after his career game in their semifinals win over Lyceum.
And as one of the people who knows Escamis best, the coach never doubted his top gun.
“Sinabi niya sa'kin, hindi na niya pakakawalan,” Alcantara stated.
“Makekwento ko na 'to ngayon. After namin manalo sa Lyceum, lumapit siya sa'kin, niyakap niya 'ko (at) ang sabi niya sa'kin, 'Coach, hindi na natin 'to pakakawalan.' At ginawa niya. Tinupad niya,” he continued.
“Talagang very special player 'to. Sabi ko nga kanina sa kanya, mission accomplished.”
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