Lawrence Mangubat has been doing extra work on his shooting daily before and after practice.

“I always wake up early and go to the gym to shoot. After our team practice, I make sure to shoot some more,” said Mangubat in Filipino.

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The 5-foot-11 rookie guard hit a pair of clutch baskets that lifted the Mapua Cardinals to a 69-68 hairline win over the Lyceum Pirates on Tuesday in the NCAA Season 100 men’s basketball tournament.

He freed himself from the corner and received the feed from Clint Escamis with 3.9 seconds left to knock down the game-winning three that cemented the Cardinals’ claim for a sure spot in the Final Four behind tournament leader College of St. Benilde.

“I knew that I would take that shot, but I was not really expecting it to go in. I was surprised,” said Mangubat, Mapua’s prized find from Liloan, Cebu.

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James Payosing mocked all defenders thrown at him, scoring 18 points in San Beda’s runaway 83-70 victory over Jose Rizal University in the other game.

With center Bismarck Lina and wingmen Nygel Gonzales and Bryan Sajonia sidelined by injuries, the defending champion Red Lions still managed to notch their ninth win in 14 games.

“We are getting deeper into the season, so we have to stick together. What the coaches will tell us, we definitely have to respond,” said Payosing, last season’s Finals MVP.

10th defeat

For the Heavy Bombers, their 10th defeat has only made their semifinal hopes less attainable with four games left in the second round.

“We’re undermanned, but I have full confidence in [the Red Lions]. I just told the guys that they should be ready when their number is called and stick to the game plan,” said San Beda coach Yuri Escueta.

Mangubat equalized his career-best 16 points, including an off-balanced two-pointer at the corner over the outstretched arms of Jonathan Daileg, tying the count one last time at 66.

Renz Villegas took over the Pirates’ assault in the fourth, scoring 14 of his game-high 22 points in that span, to help erase a double-digit Mapua lead.

The Pirates had the chance to reverse the outcome, but Daileg’s potential clinching corner jumper went off the mark at the horn, sending Lyceum to its eighth defeat in 14 outings.

Chris Hubilla netted 14 points, Cy Cuenco contributed 11 and Escamis 10 for the Cardinals, who are a win from another Final Four showing.

But Mapua coach Randy Alcantara’s wards aren’t only after a post-elimination appearance. They’re going all out for the championship following a bungled attempt at the hands of the San Beda Red Lions in Season 99.

“We continue to stay within sight of the Final Four, and our goal for now is to secure that twice-to-beat advantage,” said Cuenco. INQ