MAPUA made sure to give its reserves some minutes in virtually a no-bearing game against Lyceum to close out its NCAA Season 102 classification phase campaign, and its bench responded in a manner that could only make coach Chito Victolero proud.
Playing without their super-scorer Cy Cuenco, stabilizer Ivan Lazarte and veteran Cyrus Nitura, the Cardinals proved that they have plenty of guns in their artillery as they hacked out a 71-68 win over the LPU Cardinals on Monday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
Kyle Timbol played his best game of the season, finishing with 20 points on 6-11 shooting from the field as the Cardinals avenged their 88-87 loss the last time out and give his squad some momentum entering their play-in game on Thursday.
The Cardinals, finishing 7-6, will hold twice-to-beat advantage over the 4-9 Pirates who fell to their fourth straight loss.
"Inembrace ko lang yung sinabi samin ni coach at mga payo ng mga seniors ko, na if wala sila or ma-injury sila, next man up lang at wag matakot sa sisi," Timbol said.
"Samin, momentum 'to kasi kailangan yung confidence namin coming into the play-in game. Sobrang laking experience to na madadala namin sa play-in."
After a hot start for the Cardinals which saw them lead by as many as 18 points, the boys of coach Jamike Jarin finally came to life and got to within one point multiple times in the fourth quarter.
Also playing without their stars in Matthew Rubico and Renz Villegas, the Pirates turned to Ken Caduyac and Carl Nocum who showed capable of carrying the offensive load for them.
In the end though, Mapua was just too big and too experienced for the young Pirates to overcome without their dazzling backcourt.
Jamal Diaz added 13 points for Mapua while Russell Liwanag chipped in 12 points in the win.
Caduyac led the Pirates with 17 points as Nocum added 14 — together, the two combined to shoot 9-of-14 from beyond the three-point range.
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