Junior Blazers stun Robins for first ever NCAA juniors' hoops title

MANILA, Philippines – St. Benilde-La Salle Greenhills completed a fairy tale run as it shocked last year’s champion Mapua, 75-74, Friday to claim its first ever NCAA juniors’ basketball championship at the Filoil Arena in San Juan City.

Trailing by as much as 14 points in the first half, the Junior Blazers turned things around by playing tougher defense and forcing the taller Red Robins to turn the ball over and miss the shots they easily made early in the game.

Joshua David found the right time to dish out a career game as he unleashed 27 points, including 18 in the second half that made up for two free throw misses late, while Joel Cagulangan poured in 19, including two pressure-packed free throws that gave CSB-LSGH the lead for good.

Mapua had a couple of opportunities to snatch the lead, the win and the title but Clint Escamis couldn’t launch a shot as its shot clock time expired while Mike Enriquez’s jumper atop the key bounced off the rim as time wound down.

It was pandemonium from there as the Junior Blazers whooped it up on center court to celebrate its very first high school crown.

“It seemed like I was in a dream until everyone was hugging me,” said CSB-LSGH coach Marvin Bienvenida.

It was a Cinderella finish for CSB-LSGH as it had to fight San Sebastian in a playoff for the fourth and last Final Four spot, stunned top seed and powerhouse San Beda in the semis before catching the biggest fish of them all — Mapua.

In contrast, it was a sorry loss for Mapua, which was denied its 22nd championship that would have pushed them on top alongside San Beda as the most titled high school team in the NCAA.

“We never won against San Beda last season we never won against Mapua, so that became our motivation including off season games against them in other leagues. But it motivated us and we get to beat them when it mattered the most,” said Bienvenida.

Cagulangan, a 17-year-old Grade 11 student who hails from Butuan City, ended up as the Finals MVP after averaging 17 points, six rebounds, seven assists and three steals in the series.

Mapua appeared to have wrapped up the championship as it dominated the first half with Warren Bonifacio, Will Gozum and Clint Escamis making big plays after big plays.

In the end though, it was the smaller Junior Blazers who showed the bigger hearts.

The scores:

CSB-LSGH 75 – David 27, Cagulangan 19, Jacob 8, Fornillas 8, Marcos 6, Lepalam 4, Mosqueda 3, Perez 3, Morales 0, Pedrosa 0, Sangco 0

Mapua – Escamis 21, Lacap 13, Gozum 12, Bonifacio 10, Enriquez 8, Ramos 6, Garcia 4, Arches 0, Dennison 0, Jabel 0, Sarias 0

Quarterscores: 15-19; 32-44; 53-56; 22-18