NEWLY-MINTED NCAA champion Mapua University will return in the 101st season of the Grand Old League as the team to beat, with six battle-tested players set to join the ranks of the Cardinals.
Mapua mentor Randy Alcantara, a member of the Cardinals in their 1991 title run, said among those set to suit up for the team is wingman Cyrus Nitura, formerly of the Perpetual Altas.
The rest are Cyril Gonzales who will return to Mapua after spending time with UP, Ivan Lazarte of UST, forward AP Manlapaz of Adamson, NU big men Joe Gulapa and Drex Delos Reyes.
Over the weekend, the Cardinals snapped their 33-year title drought in the league, completing a two-game finals sweep of College of Saint Benilde behind the exploits of Finals Most Valuable Player Clint Escamis.
Escamis, 24, a member of this year’s mythical five, still has a year left for the team but his plans are not clear, for now.
He said he still has not made up his mind, adding he will enjoy their title win.
“Basta alam ko champion ako ngayon, champion kami ngayon,” he said.
“Sa line-up, okay naman pero siyempre, tingnan muna naming iyong MVP (Escamis) kung ano ang magiging desisyon. Pero sabi ko nga, kahit sino may line-up for next year, sigurado ganoon din naman iyong mga kalaban natin [maghahanda]. Talagang nagpalakas din,” Alcantara said.
Only Joaquin Garcia and Aaron Fermin will leave the team this year due to graduation.
“Balik ulit [kami] sa trabaho after this celebration. I-ready naman ulit iyong mga papalit. Siyempre, may mag-graduate din sa amin at sana iyon ulit, iyong mga batch na [susunod] sa kanila is makita nila gaano ka-sarap mag-champion at paano ito pinaghirapan talaga. Hindi ganun kadali,” said the veteran mentor.
