Mapua collapses late in NCAA finals Game 3 as San Beda wins 23rd men’s basketball title

MANILA, Philippines – For the 23rd time in the NCAA’s 99-year history, the San Beda Red Lions have been crowned men’s basketball champions following a Game 3 collapse of the Mapua Cardinals, 76-66, at the jampacked Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, December 17.

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