NCAA Player of the Week Cuenco sparks Mapua’s win streak

MANILA, Philippines — Marc Cyrus Cuenco has emerged as a key contributor to Mapúa University’s resurgence, delivering back-to-back stellar performances to propel the Cardinals to a five-game winning streak in the NCAA Season 102 men’s basketball tournament.

The 24-year-old guard played a key role in Mapúa’s 69-67 overtime win over fellow Intramuros rival Colegio de San Juan de Letran last Monday at the Filoil Centre in San Juan, where he finished with 11 points, three steals and two assists. His all-around effort complemented Lance Nitura’s late-game heroics and fueled the Cardinals’ balanced offensive attack.

Just days later, the sweet-shooting 6-foot guard once again came up big as Mapúa outlasted the University of Perpetual Help System DALTA, 65-60, on Friday in another overtime thriller at the same venue.

In that game, Cuenco saved his best for the extra period, pouring in nine of his game-high 17 points on two triples and an and-one play to propel the Cardinals past the Altas. He also had eight rebounds, two assists and a steal.

His clutch outings in Mapúa’s last two games earned him Collegiate Press Corps (CPC) Player of the Week honors for the period of October 12 to 16.

Cuenco’s brilliance was also key to Mapúa’s 5-3 run in Group A, where it tied with reigning champion San Beda—an impressive turnaround so far for a team that lost its first three games.

With the third phase of the preliminary round still ahead, Cuenco and the Cardinals still have a chance to clinch one of the two twice-to-beat bonuses awarded to the top two teams in the group for the playoffs. Currently, the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers and the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Blazers share the top spots of Group A with identical 6-2 records.

Cuenco edged out teammate Yam Concepcion, Letran’s Chad Gammad, CSB’s Joseph Nunag and Lyceum’s Renz Villegas and Mclaude Guadaña to claim CPC Player of the Week honors.