# Mapúa Cardinals basketball

The Mapúa Cardinals basketball program represents Mapúa University (MU) in men's basketball as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (Philippines) (NCAA). The Mapúa Cardinals are one of the three NCAA seniors' basketball teams in Intramuros.

## History

Originally as the Mapúa Institute of Technology (MIT), the Cardinals are named after the Major League Baseball team St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals have won six NCAA titles, the first in 1949, and the latest in 2024. Atoy Co won the NCAA MVP award in 1971, and would later coach the team in the 21st century. Freddie Hubalde won the NCAA MVP award in 1973, and will be team mate of Co in the grand-slam winning 1983 Crispa Redmanizers team. Alvin Patrimonio then played for the Cardinals from 1983 to 1986, becoming NCAA MVP in his final two seasons with MIT.
In 1981, the Cardinals won their third title lead by Leo Isaac who was voted MVP for the 1981 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship.
In 1990 the Cardinals coached by Joel Banal won their fourth championship, their first since 1981, beating the San Sebastian Stags. The team was lead by Kevin Ramas, Benny Cheng and Randy Alcantara.
In 1991, the Cardinals won their first and only back to back titles off a go-ahead shot by Benny Cheng against the San Beda Red Lions.

### Final Four era

In 2001, Mapua qualified to its first playoff appearance in the Final Four era. They took the eventual champions San Sebastian Stags to a second game before being eliminated. Two years later, they were eliminated in the semifinals against Letran. Starting in 2005, Kelvin dela Peña led the Cardinals to four straight semifinals appearances, losing to defending champions PCU in 2005 and to San Beda in the next three years. Dela Peña was named Rookie of the Year in 2005, and Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2007.
The Cardinals would not make it to the playoffs until 2015 when Nigerian Allwell Oraeme led them to the semifinals. Named Rookie of the Year, MVP, and three other awards, he and coach Atoy Co ended two seasons of being in last place to qualify to the semifinals, where they were beaten by Letran. Oraeme had another banner year in 2016, winning the MVP award and Defensive Player of the Year. The Cardinals lost to the Arellano Chiefs in the semifinals. Preparing for the 2017 season, Co revealed that Oraeme left school, saying he was not happy at Mapua and intends to go back to Nigeria. The Cardinals finished outside the playoff places in the next two seasons, and Mapua let go Co after the 2018 campaign.
Randy Alcantara, coach of the successful Malayan Red Robins (their high school team), was then named coach of the seniors team. In the 2021 season (held in early 2022), the Cardinals qualified to its first Finals appearance since 1995. They lost to the defending champions Letran Knights. In the next season, Mapua won its first game vs. San Beda, which was then reversed due to an ineligible player. The Cardinals then lost seven consecutive games. Mapua did not qualify to the playoffs. On the next season, Mapua clinched its first #1 seed in school history, returning to the playoffs. However, the Cardinals were upset by the San Beda Red Lions in the finals.
The following year 2024, the Cardinals won their sixth championship, their first in 33 years beating the Benilde Blazers in a 2 game sweep of the finals. Clint Escamis was named the Finals MVP.

## Current roster

NCAA Season 100

## Rivalries

Mapua plays the Battle of Intramuros, so named after the Manila district, with the Letran Knights and the Lyceum Pirates.

## Head coaches

* Until 1948: Ignacio Sevilla
* Since 1949: Johnny Schlobohm
* Until 1978: Valerio Lopez
* 1978–1982: Carlos Badion
* 1983–1984: De Jesus
* 1985–1987: Art Trajano
* 1987–1997: Joel Banal
* 1997–1998: Bong Ramos
* 1999: Horacio Lim
* 2000–2001: Nic Jorge
* 2002–2006: Horacio Lim
* 2007–2008: Leo Isaac
* 2009–2012: Chito Victolero
* 2012–2018: Atoy Co
* 2019–present: Randy Alcantara

## Season-by-season records

| Season | League | Elimination round | Elimination round | Elimination round | Elimination round | Elimination round | Elimination round | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | League | Pos | GP | W | L | PCT | GB | GP | W | L | Results |
| 1999 | NCAA | 6th/8 | 14 | 6 | 8 | .429 | 3 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2000 | NCAA | 5th/8 | 14 | 5 | 9 | .357 | 6 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2001 | NCAA | 3rd/8 | 14 | 9 | 5 | .643 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | Lost semifinals vs San Sebastian |
| 2002 | NCAA | 5th/8 | 14 | 7 | 7 | .500 | 4 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2003 | NCAA | 4th/8 | 14 | 7 | 7 | .500 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Lost semifinals vs Letran |
| 2004 | NCAA | 5th/8 | 14 | 7 | 7 | .500 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Lost 4th seed playoff vs San Beda |
| 2005 | NCAA | 3rd/8 | 14 | 9 | 5 | .643 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Lost semifinals vs PCU |
| 2006 | NCAA | 4th/8 | 14 | 7 | 7 | .500 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Lost semifinals vs San Beda |
| 2007 | NCAA | 4th/7 | 12 | 6 | 6 | .500 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Lost semifinals vs San Beda |
| 2008 | NCAA | 4th/8 | 14 | 9 | 5 | .643 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | Lost semifinals vs San Beda |
| 2009 | NCAA | 7th/10 | 18 | 6 | 12 | .333 | 10 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2010 | NCAA | 4th/9 | 16 | 9 | 7 | .563 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Lost stepladder round 1 vs JRU |
| 2011 | NCAA | 5th/10 | 18 | 7 | 11 | .389 | 9 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2012 | NCAA | 6th/10 | 18 | 8 | 10 | .444 | 7 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2013 | NCAA | 10th/10 | 18 | 2 | 16 | .111 | 13 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2014 | NCAA | 10th/10 | 18 | 4 | 14 | .222 | 9 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2015 | NCAA | 3rd/10 | 18 | 12 | 6 | .667 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Lost semifinals vs Letran |
| 2016 | NCAA | 3rd/10 | 18 | 12 | 6 | .667 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Lost semifinals vs Arellano |
| 2017 | NCAA | 10th/10 | 18 | 3 | 15 | .167 | 15 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2018 | NCAA | 7th/10 | 18 | 6 | 12 | .333 | 11 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2019 | NCAA | 6th/10 | 18 | 9 | 9 | .500 | 9 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2020 | NCAA | Season canceled | Season canceled | Season canceled | Season canceled | Season canceled | Season canceled | Season canceled | Season canceled | Season canceled | Season canceled |
| 2021 | NCAA | 2nd/10 | 9 | 7 | 2 | .778 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | Lost Finals vs Letran |
| 2022 | NCAA | 6th/10 | 18 | 7 | 11 | .389 | 7 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2023 | NCAA | 1st/10 | 18 | 15 | 3 | .833 | — | 4 | 2 | 2 | Lost Finals vs San Beda |
| 2024 | NCAA | 1st/10 | 18 | 15 | 3 | .833 | — | 3 | 3 | 0 | Won Finals vs Benilde |
* ↑ Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
* ↑ Season postponed to early 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.