In an offseason mired by shock departures from the likes of Jun Roque, Mark Omega, Cyrus Nitura, Carlo Ferreras, and Joey Barcuma, the Altas rebounded with a big-fish coup from the UAAP, reuniting new head coach Olsen Racela with his former FEU ward Patrick Sleat.

A homegrown Tamaraw dating back to his high school days, the 6-foot-2 forward will have two more years of eligibility starting NCAA Season 101 after a customary sit-out period.

Sleat is expected to provide steady leadership on and off the court, and an all-around skill set honed by three years of UAAP competition with FEU.

In what would be his final go-around with the Tamaraws in UAAP Season 86, the scrappy forward posted averages of 7.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.

Come NCAA Season 101, Sleat will get all the touches he can handle as Perpetual attempts to rebuild its identity from the ground up with strong financial backing, reportedly from Racela’s employer San Miguel Corporation.

Among other San Miguel personalities set to grace the sidelines for the Altas in Season 100 are current Ginebra assistant coach Richard del Rosario and former PBA MVP Scottie Thompson. – Rappler.com

The forward-center emerged as a force in NCAA Season 99, averaging 11 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.6 blocks, and 1 steal through the elimination round and helped the Pirates reach the Final Four as the second seed.

Lyceum, though, lost to eventual champion San Beda despite toting a twice-to-beat advantage.

Umali, who will be eligible to play two more seasons starting NCAA Season 101 in 2025, will try to fill the void in the paint left by former NCAA Most Valuable Player Will Gozum.

The Blazers also lost gunner Migs Oczon, who took his act to the Korean Basketball League.

“Shawn has been one of the best bigs in the NCAA. I know a lot of schools were calling him and very aggressive in recruiting him, but I am glad he chose our school,” College of Saint Benilde head coach Charles Tiu said in a message on Monday, February 5.

“I guess the big factor was wanting the La Salle education.”

The 6-foot-3 Umali was wooed by Emilio Aguinaldo College, his high school alma mater Letran, San Beda, and several UAAP schools, according to a team source.

Umali bid farewell to Lyceum last February 3.

“From the moment I entered LPU, I have been welcomed with open arms and genuine warmth. The support and encouragement from each one of you have made my journey here a memorable one,” Umali wrote on Instagram.

“Being a Pirate has taught me the value of teamwork, perseverance, and resilience. As I reflect on my time at LPU, I am very much grateful for the opportunities, memories, and friendships that have enriched my playing career and my life.” – Rappler.com

The development came as Cortez, the son of former La Salle superstar Mike Cortez, announced his decision to leave NCAA champion San Beda Red Lions.

“With great difficulty, I have decided that my time as a Red Lion is closing, and would like to officially announce that I will not be playing for San Beda University in their upcoming season,” said Cortez in an Instagram post on Thursday, January 11. 

“Challenging, improving, and growing is always my goal, and so I have decided that to achieve this, I need to get out of my comfort zone. With that, I plan to compete in the UAAP.” 

A 5-foot-11 guard, Cortez delivered on his promise by helping San Beda capture its first title since 2018 after leading the team in scoring with 13.7 points on top of 7 rebounds and 4 assists in the NCAA championship series against Mapua.

“I have had THE BEST time at San Beda. From playing as a rookie fresh out of high school in an isolating yet invigorating bubble season to helping bring back the crown where it belongs after many have counted San Beda out.”

Cortez’s father Mike, nicknamed the “Cool Cat” during his stint as La Salle’s King Archer, won back-to-back UAAP championships in 2000 and 2001.

The younger Cortez, though, won’t see action yet this year as he needs to serve his residency in UAAP Season 87, likely redshirting along with Kean Baclaan, who’s also speculated to join the Archers after leaving the NU Bulldogs. 

Both Cortez and Baclaan are expected to fill in a glaring hole left by the graduation of point guard Evan Nelle. 

San Beda nosed out the Mapua Cardinals, who are led by NCAA Season 99 Most Valuable Player Clint Escamis, in three hard-fought games, with the Red Lions emerging victorious, 76-66, in the winner-take-all Game 3 last December.

In 23 games played in Season 99, Cortez normed 15.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.2 steals.

Playing high school ball with the University of Santo Tomas, Cortez committed to join San Beda in 2021. — Rappler.com

Thompson, who serves as team manager for Perpetual, got tasked by school management to convince Racela to call the shots for the Altas.

“I think it is confirmed that he will take the coaching job at Perpetual. We’re happy that he is on board,” said Thompson in a mix of Filipino and English.

Racela is set for a return to the collegiate ranks after coaching the FEU Tamaraws in the UAAP for five seasons from 2017 to 2022.

A nine-time PBA champion as a player and five-time Mythical Team member, Racela will replace Myk Saguiguit, who remains with the Altas as an assistant coach.

Thompson has his fingers crossed that the team will welcome the coaching switch.

“I hope the players are happy with the changes. I know they’re also affected. They really love coach Myk,” said Thompson.

“Like what I and coach Myk talked about, it is about Perpetual. He is a Perpetualite. Whatever is best for Perpetual, we’re here as alumni to help.”

Although he and Racela are both from Ginebra, Thompson denied the involvement of San Miguel Corporation in the move after reports came out that the conglomerate will back the Altas.

“The facts are coach O is taking the job and SMC is not involved with us,” said Thompson.

Perpetual missed the Final Four the last two years, barely reaching the semifinals after finishing fifth in the elimination round in Season 99. – Rappler.com

Escamis and the Cardinals were just one win away from bringing the championship back to Intramuros after drawing first blood in their best-of-three championship series against the San Beda Red Lions but failed to capitalize on the opportunity as they suffered a 71-65 setback in Game 2 and a stinging 76-66 loss in Game 3. 

The Cardinals were even on top by 4 points, 57-53, at the start of the fourth quarter of their winner-take-all Game 3 showdown before getting outscored by the Red Lions, 23-9, in the final 10 minutes of the season as they saw the crown slip away before 23,077 fans at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, December 17.

“There’s always next year,” said Escamis, the Season 99 MVP and Rookie of the Year.

“I said during my speech earlier, use this as a motivation, especially for those who are coming back. When January hits, we go back to work, we go back to the grind,” he added in a mix of English and Filipino.

“I told them, don’t look down. Look at San Beda while they’re cutting the net. Use that as fuel for next season.”

Escamis will be on a mission next season as he endured forgettable performances for the Cardinals in Games 2 and 3 of the finals. 

San Beda’s stifling defense held Escamis to 28 points on a woeful 8-of-43 clip from the field in those last two games combined.

The do-it-all guard started off strong in Game 3, pouring in 10 of his 13 points in the first two quarters before being completely shut down in the second half, including a scoreless fourth quarter, where he missed all his seven field goal attempts. 

“This is a learning curve for us. They gave me all the green light, and as a player, I also have to mature in terms of my shot selection and looking for my teammates,” said Escamis.

“It’s also my fault,” he added.

With team captain Warren Bonifacio graduating and sweet-shooting guard Paolo Hernandez still unsure of playing his final year, the 23-year-old Escamis is more than ready to embrace the leadership role for Mapua next season.

“If I’m the only one left, I’ll take the challenge. Still a lot, one year, let’s go,” said Escamis.

“I’m ready for the challenge.” – Rappler.com

Throughout its superb underdog run, highlighted by an unprecedented eight-game winning streak all while being on the brink of early elimination, scrappy San Beda leaned on the leadership of breakout star guard Jacob Cortez, who led the Red Lions in scoring at the end of the elimination round.

But when it really mattered most in the winner-take-all finals Game 3 on Sunday, December 17, it was Cortez’s supporting cast who took the reins in the final rally, just as the main man himself was down with untimely cramps.

Head coach Yuri Escueta, now also a collegiate champion coach after copping gold once as a player for the UAAP’s Ateneo Blue Eagles, made sure to specifically highlight this phenomenon when the dust settled at the jampacked Araneta Coliseum.

“I know you guys love Jacob Cortez, right? But guys, this is basketball. That’s how we built this. We built this around 15 players in the lineup. We built this around 18 guys in practices, and we teach everyone how to play basketball,” he said in the champions’ press conference.

As the cramping Cortez literally took a backseat in the heat of the moment, it was forward James Payosing who best rose to the occasion with an 11-point, 14-rebound double-double plus 2 steals in just 20 minutes, eventually validating his hard work with a Finals MVP win.

“No matter who got Finals MVP, everyone was going to be happy for him, whoever that is,” Escueta continued. “But I think [James] is deserving also. He stepped up in the fourth quarter when some of the guys were done because of cramps.”

Right alongside him was stretch forward Yukien Andrada, who broke Mapua’s defenses with an 18-point second-half explosion after scoring just 2 in the first.

That kind of support for one another, Escueta said, is why San Beda is once again on top of the NCAA after at one point not even being a Final Four shoo-in.

“We worked hard for this since January last year, we went through every adversity,” he continued in Filipino. “We joined the D-League, we went to Malaysia, and we kept on losing. We went to Davao and we couldn’t even beat the teams there. We went through a lot.”

“But these guys, the players, said to themselves, we have to be resilient, and they leaned on that adversity early in the season. It’s something that I think we were able to bring to this run of ours.”

Even the greatest sports programs go through some slumps, and the Red Lions are no exception. While a five-year title drought may seem like an eternity by its own lofty standards, San Beda was never given a red-carpet path back up.

Like everyone else, they scrapped and clawed to get back to where they used to be, and now the dividends have paid off once again. – Rappler.com

Yukien Andrada was a man on a mission to end the season, dropping 18 of his 20 points in the second half to go with 6 rebounds and 2 steals as San Beda handed Mapua a heartbreaking best-of-three series loss after the Cardinals gained a 1-0 edge.

In an endgame stretch reminiscent of Game 2, Mapua fired and bungled ill-timed triples one after the other while San Beda methodically pulled away with a pivotal 15-2 barrage to mount a 73-63 advantage with 2:02 left in regulation.

With San Beda’s 23rd title in the bag, the Red Lions extended their all-time title lead over rival Letran Knights, who currently have 20 following a recent three-peat from 2019 to 2022.

Mapua stays at joint fifth with the JRU Heavy Bombers with 6 titles apiece. – Rappler.com

STRONG SUPPORT!

When it mattered most, San Beda forward James Payosing stepped up for the Red Lions, winning the #NCAASeason99 men's basketball Finals MVP! Congratulations! https://t.co/ewYWiYGrBN pic.twitter.com/epCb82bbEb

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 17, 2023

NCAA FINALS G3 | STATS:

Yukien Andrada explodes for 18 second-half points, while Finals MVP James Payosing powers down 11 points and 14 rebounds in 20 minutes as San Beda wins its 23rd title!

MVP Clint Escamis goes 8-of-43 in the last two finals games for ill-fated Mapua. pic.twitter.com/mxH2nCXDNj

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 17, 2023

NCAA FINALS G3 | WATCH:

The championship-winning moment for the San Beda Red Lions! #NCAASeason99 pic.twitter.com/qoW8UPmaNC

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 17, 2023

FOURTH QUARTER

THE DYNASTY IS BACK! GO SAN BEDA FIGHT!

The Mapua Cardinals collapse late in the #NCAASeason99 finals Game 3 as the San Beda Red Lions win their 23rd men's basketball championship! Congratulations!

Game highlights here: https://t.co/ewYWiYGrBN pic.twitter.com/qarPWWbgZg

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 17, 2023

• SAN BEDA 76-66: Emman Tagle 2/2 free throws
• SAN BEDA 74-66: James Payosing split trip from the line
• SAN BEDA 73-66: Marc Cuenco finally gets something to go for Mapua with a three
• SAN BEDA 73-63: James Payosing 1/2 free throws with 2:02 left. 15-2 San Beda run.
• SAN BEDA 72-63: James Payosing putback. Timeout Mapua with 2:35 left
• SAN BEDA 70-63: Clifford Jopia putback with 3:22 left
• SAN BEDA 68-63: Paolo Hernandez long two
• SAN BEDA 68-61: Jacob Cortez bank floater. Timeout Mapua with 5:24 left
• SAN BEDA 66-61: Yukien Andrada back-to-back threes
• SAN BEDA 63-61: James Payosing 2/2 from the line

NCAA FINALS G3 | UPDATE:

Crowd count for Game 3 of the NCAA Season 99 men’s basketball finals at the Araneta Coliseum: 23,077!#NCAASeason99 pic.twitter.com/FGDwqHgDXV

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 17, 2023

• 61-61: Yukien Andrada tying triple
• MAPUA 61-58: JC Recto keeps going, sinks easy layup
• MAPUA 59-58: Emman Tagle 2/2 from the line
• MAPUA 59-56: JC Recto mid-range shot
• MAPUA 57-56: Yukien Andrada triple plus the foul, missed the bonus

THIRD QUARTER

NCAA FINALS G3 | END OF 3Q:
Mapua overtakes San Beda after three quarters, 57-53. #NCAASeason99

LIVE UPDATES HERE: https://t.co/ewYWiYGrBN pic.twitter.com/FSZHMA9qnw

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 17, 2023

• END OF 3Q: Kobe Dalisay drains a last-second corner three as Mapua mounts a 57-53 lead over San Beda
• MAPUA 54-53: JC Recto mid-range shot
• SAN BEDA 53-52: James Payosing layup
• MAPUA 52-51: Kobe Dalisay floater from a JC Recto bullet pass
• SAN BEDA 51-50: Yukien Andrada rattles in a three. Timeout Mapua at the 2:49 mark
• MAPUA 50-48: Peter Rosillo bullies his way inside

NCAA FINALS G3 | 3Q:

San Beda star Jacob Cortez goes down with cramps.

48-all with less than 4 minutes left in the third quarter. #NCAASeason99 pic.twitter.com/KLWCFqbmvs

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 17, 2023

• 48-48: Jacob Cortez taken out due to cramps at the 4:21 mark
• 48-48: Yukien Andrada floater
• MAPUA 48-45: Peter Rosillo layup, missed bonus free throw
• MAPUA 46-44: JC Recto three
• SAN BEDA 44-43: JC Recto looping bank floater
• SAN BEDA 44-41: Peter Alfaro 2/2 from the line off a Jopet Soriano unsportsmanlike foul
• SAN BEDA 42-41: JC Recto splits from the line
• SAN BEDA 42-40: Aaron Royo rattles in a three
• MAPUA 40-39: Jopet Soriano layup from a Clint Escamis assist
• SAN BEDA 39-38: Yukien Andrada response three
• MAPUA 38-36: Clint Escamis corner three for the first Mapua lead

NCAA | STATS:

Seldom-used Nygel Gonzales goes toe-to-toe with MVP Clint Escamis as San Beda leads Mapua by a point in a thrilling finals Game 3!#NCAASeason99 pic.twitter.com/O6tANEmIY2

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 17, 2023

SECOND QUARTER

NCAA FINALS G3 | HALFTIME:

San Beda hangs on to a slim 36-35 lead over Mapua. #NCAASeason99

LIVE UPDATES HERE: https://t.co/2ID1lyeLv5 pic.twitter.com/eDF2MGFrr9

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 17, 2023

• HALFTIME: Mapua catches up as San Beda hangs on to a 36-35 lead
• SAN BEDA 36-35: Peter Rosillo contested layup
• SAN BEDA 36-33: Jomel Puno 1/2 from the line
• SAN BEDA 35-33: JC Recto long three
• SAN BEDA 35-30: Peter Alfaro scores two from the line
• SAN BEDA 33-30: Jacob Cortez tough layup
• SAN BEDA 31-30: Peter Rosillo tough finish inside
• SAN BEDA 31-28: Peter Rosillo coast-to-coast layup
• SAN BEDA 31-26: JC Recto step-back three
• SAN BEDA 31-23: Jomel Puno scores first two inside
• SAN BEDA 29-23: Clint Escamis three
• SAN BEDA 29-20: Nygel Gonzales keeps going with tough layup
• SAN BEDA 27-20: Nygel Gonzales three
• SAN BEDA 24-20: Resty Fornis layup
• SAN BEDA 24-18: Jopet Soriano splits from the line
• SAN BEDA 24-17: Marc Cuenco crossover and layup

FIRST QUARTER

NCAA FINALS G3 | END OF 1Q:

San Beda starts strong against Mapua with a 24-15 lead. #NCAASeason99

LIVE UPDATES HERE: https://t.co/ewYWiYGrBN pic.twitter.com/oDGdKm35lV

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 17, 2023

• END OF 1Q: Nygel Gonzales drains a last-second three as San Beda leads Mapua, 24-15
• SAN BEDA 21-15: Damie Cuntapay floater
• SAN BEDA 19-15: Warren Bonifacio layup plus the foul, missed free throw
• SAN BEDA 19-13: Warren Bonifacio high-arcing shot
• SAN BEDA 19-11: Nygel Gonzales dipsy-do layup
• SAN BEDA 17-11: Paolo Hernandez 2/2 from the line
• SAN BEDA 17-9: James Payosing split charities
• SAN BEDA 16-9: Alex Visser layup from a Peter Alfaro pass
• SAN BEDA 14-9: Paolo Hernandez tough bank layup

NCAA FINALS G3 | 1Q:

Payosing banks it in!

14-7, San Beda. #NCAASeason99 pic.twitter.com/RKpQ8wQltz

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 17, 2023

• SAN BEDA 14-7: James Payosing mid-range bank shot
• SAN BEDA 11-7: Clint Escamis three. Timeout San Beda with 5:56 left
• SAN BEDA 11-4: Another Clifford Jopia easy layup from a Jacob Cortez post pass
• SAN BEDA 9-4: Clifford Jopia easy layup from a Jacob Cortez post pass
• SAN BEDA 7-4: Clint Escamis scores two from the line
• SAN BEDA 7-2: Aaron Royo corner three
• SAN BEDA 4-2: Clint Escamis contested long two
• SAN BEDA 4-0: Jacob Cortez mid-range hit on the break
• SAN BEDA 2-0: Yukien Andrada goes 2/3 from the line

NCAA FINALS G3 | STARTERS:

MAPUA: JC Recto, Paolo Hernandez, Peter Rosillo, Warren Bonifafio, Clint Escamis

SAN BEDA: Yukien Andrada, Clifford Jopia, Aaron Royo, Peter Alfaro, Jacob Cortez#NCAASeason99 pic.twitter.com/zE1Kkujj5h

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 17, 2023

• MAPUA STARTERS: Clint Escamis, Peter Rosillo, Warren Bonifacio, JC Recto, Paolo Hernandez
• SAN BEDA STARTERS: Jacob Cortez, Yukien Andrada, Clifford Jopia, Aaron Royo, Peter Alfaro

NCAA FINALS G3 | WATCH:

Crowd situation at the Araneta Coliseum ahead of the Game 3 showdown between the Mapua Cardinals and the San Beda Red Lions. #NCAASeason99 pic.twitter.com/t4DPifgO2l

— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) December 17, 2023

Preview

After a week’s rest, the NCAA Season 99 men’s basketball tournament finally comes to an end as the Mapua Cardinals and San Beda Red Lions clash in a winner-take-all finals Game 3 at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, December 17, 2 pm.

San Beda, winner of eight of the last 12 titles and 22 overall, is gunning for its 23rd overall title after scoring an equalizing 71-65 Game 2 win over cold-shooting Mapua, which saw its newly-crowned MVP Clint Escamis go frigid with 15 points on a 4-of-21 clip.

With the Red Lions’ resurgence on the horizon, top team star Jacob Cortez is now looking for the kill after a stellar 21-point, 9-rebound Game 2 outing, while the likes of Jomel Puno and Clifford Jopia are expected to once again provide ample support in the post and on the boards.

Not keen to extend its 32-year drought, Mapua will look to rectify its lapses, still under the helm of Escamis, and complete its masterful season run that resulted in a surprise top seed finish.

Other veteran Cardinals like Warren Bonifacio and Paolo Hernandez will also be relied on to carry out the winning formula.

Will the Cardinals finish their redemption story with a long-awaited happy ending or will the Red Lions rebuild their dynasty with yet another golden conquest? – Rappler.com

The Red Lions may have escaped with a 71-65 victory in Game 2 to force a winner-take-all clash, but their atrocious 17-of-34 shooting from the stripe left a bad taste in the mouth of San Beda head coach Yuri Escueta.

“I got mad,” said Escueta, referring to the Red Lions’ free throw struggles.

San Beda star guard Jacob Cortez took 18 of those foul shots and went on to miss half of them, although he redeemed himself with a pair of crucial free throws in the fourth quarter and finished with game-high 21 points.

His endgame heroics allowed the Red Lions to stay alive in the best-of-three championship series after they dropped the finals opener by way of a 63-68 loss.

“I just want to win,” said Cortez, the son of former PBA standout Mike.

Escueta is confident his wards are able to make the necessary adjustments, having learned the hard way after squandering a 15-point lead in Game 2.

“All of them will go back to the same situation, I’m sure they’re going to be better,” said Escueta. “It was their first time to take that many free throws.”

“That has been the theme for the entire season, we experience everything for the first time. But we’ll just keep on learning and keep on getting better.”

Game time is 2 pm. – Rappler.com

As San Beda coach Yuri Escueta pointed out, it’s not the first time the Red Lions defied the odds, this time not letting the Mapua Cardinals claim their first championship since 1991 in Game 2 of the NCAA men’s basketball finals on Sunday, December 10, before a raucous crowd of over 22,000 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“[Game 3 is] a do-or-die game, it’s just the same thing today, we went all out,” Escueta said after San Beda hacked out a 71-65 escape against Mapua to force a rubber match on Sunday, December 17.

“We’ve been in this situation before, not just one time but five or six times, and the only thing we did is tell ourselves to stay together and not give up, fight until the end whatever the result is,” he added.

San Beda’s chances of making the Final Four were in jeopardy during the second round of the eliminations when the Red Lions hovered at fifth place, before winning needed games to stay afloat and climb to the top three.

In the semifinals, the Red Lions also pulled off an upset, overcoming a twice-to-beat disadvantage against the No. 2 Lyceum Pirates to set up a date with the top-seeded Cardinals led by Most Valuable Player Clint Escamis and Mythical Five member Warren Bonifacio.

In Game 2, the Red Lions led by as many as 15 points that they later blew, even trailing by 6 in a back-and-forth affair that would see Jacob Cortez nail seismic shots down the stretch.

“It’s not just because [of my performance], other guys stepped up as well during this game. Not [only] offensively [but] defensively,” said the third-year guard, who had 21 points and 9 rebounds.

“And we stick together, after the third quarter, we were down after a big lead…it’s all about sticking together as a team,” added Cortez, the son of La Salle legend and former PBA player Mike Cortez. 

Escueta shared that the team picked up on Cortez’s relentless mentality.

“Everybody [was locked in], Peter (Alfaro), James Payosing, Yuki (Andrada), I saw their eyes, they really weren’t letting themselves lose,” said Escueta. — Rappler.com