NCAA Season 67 basketball tournaments

1991 NCAA season
Host school	San Beda College
Duration	October 9–16, 1991
Arena(s)	ULTRA
Winning coach	Joel Banal
TV network(s)	Islands TV 13

The 1991 NCAA Basketball Tournament was the 67th season in the Philippine National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The season opens on August 3 at the Araneta Coliseum and ended on October 16 with the Mapua Cardinals winning back-to-back championships in the Seniors division and won their 5th NCAA crown.

Teams[]

Team	School	Seniors' coach
Letran Knights	Colegio de San Juan de Letran	Rudy Hines
JRC Heavy Bombers	Jose Rizal College	Egay Gomez
Mapúa Cardinals	Mapúa Institute of Technology	Joel Banal
Perpetual Help Altas	Perpetual Help College of Rizal	Angel Ascue
San Beda Red Lions	San Beda College	Orly Castelo
San Sebastian Stags	San Sebastian College-Recoletos	Arturo Valenzona

Seniors' tournament[]

Elimination round[]

Format:

Tournament divided into two halves: winners of the two halves dispute the championship in a best-of-3 finals series unless:
- A team wins both rounds. In that case, the winning team automatically wins the championship.
- A third team has a better cumulative record than both finalists. In that case, the third team has to win in a playoff against the team that won the second round to face the team that won in the first round in a best-of-3 finals series.

First round team standings[]

Pos	Team	W	L	Pts	Qualification
1	San Beda Red Lions (H)	5	0	10	Advance to the Finals
2	Mapúa Cardinals	3	2	8
3	JRC Heavy Bombers	3	2	8
4	Letran Knights	2	3	7
5	Perpetual Altas	1	4	6
6	San Sebastian Stags	1	4	6

Source:^{[citation needed]}
Rules for classification: 1) tournament points; 2) if tied for #1, one-game playoff; 3) head-to-head record; 4) head-to-head point differential; 5) overall point differential
(H) Host

Second round team standings[]

Pos	Team	W	L	Pts	Qualification
1	Mapúa Cardinals	5	0	10	Advance to the Finals
2	San Beda Red Lions (H)	3	2	8
3	San Sebastian Stags	2	3	7
4	JRC Heavy Bombers	2	3	7
5	Perpetual Altas	2	3	7
6	Letran Knights	1	4	6

Source:^{[citation needed]}
Rules for classification: 1) tournament points; 2) if tied for #2, one-game playoff; 3) head-to-head record; 4) head-to-head point differential; 5) overall point differential
(H) Host

Cumulative standings[]

No other team had a better cumulative record than the two pennant winners, so playoff for the Finals berth was not played.

Pos	Team	W	L	Pts	Qualification
1	Mapúa Cardinals	8	2	18	Advance to the Finals^[a]
2	San Beda Red Lions (H)	8	2	18	Advance to the Finals^[b]
3	JRC Heavy Bombers	5	5	15
4	San Sebastian Stags	3	7	13
5	Letran Knights	3	7	13
6	Perpetual Altas	3	7	13

Source:^{[citation needed]}
Rules for classification: 1) tournament points; 2) head-to-head record; 3) head-to-head point differential; 4) overall point differential
(H) Host
Notes:

^ As 2nd round pennant winner
^ As 1st round pennant winner

Mapua Cardinals wins the second round flag and forces a best-of-three title playoffs with first round winner San Beda College by downing the Red Lions on the last day of the eliminations on October 2.^[1]

Finals[]

Game 1[]

October 9

Mapúa Cardinals	103–94	San Beda Red Lions
Mapua leads series 1–0

ULTRA, Pasig

Mapua had their biggest lead at 96-81 with 3:20 remaining. But the Red Lions' unlikely trio of Reynaldo Dionisio, Cornelio Manucat and last year's junior MVP Vincent Largo put San Beda to within 90-96 in the last 1:43. A triple by Olegario Topacio which beat the shotclock and two free throws by Reuben dela Rosa got the Cardinals off the hook.^[2]

Game 2[]

October 14

Mapúa Cardinals	94–100	San Beda Red Lions
Series tied 1-1

ULTRA, Pasig

With reserves Cornelio Manucat, Reynaldo Dionisio, Renato Morano and Jose Ramil Espina thrown into the limelight of championship action, the Red Lions broke away at 91-78 in the last 2:25. A 14-4 Mapua counter triggered by Olegario Topacio and Winchester Lemen put the Cardinals to within 92-95 in the last 45 seconds.^[3]

Game 3[]

Islands TV 13

October 16

Mapúa Cardinals	91–90	San Beda Red Lions
Mapua wins series 2–1

ULTRA, Pasig

Cardinal slotman Benito Cheng beat all rebounders for a follow-up in the final five seconds and awry pass spoiled the Red Lions' last offensive. There was no San Beda timeout and what ensued was a quick inbound to Cornelio Manucat who dribbled toward the centerline before issuing a breast-pass to a streaking Reynaldo Dionisio. The pass was too strong and a bit high, lipping Dionisio's fingertips before going out of bounds with a stream of Mapua supporters entering the court at the buzzer.^[4]

References[]

^ "Cards force crown playoff". Manila Standard.
^ "Mapua one game away". Manila Standard.
^ "Lions stay alive". Manila Standard.
^ "V-Day again for MIT Cards". Manila Standard.

[table_note_res_2P0.39918442927263-1] As 2nd round pennant winner

[table_note_res_1P0.39918442927263-2] As 1st round pennant winner

[3] "Cards force crown playoff". Manila Standard.

[4] "Mapua one game away". Manila Standard.

[5] "Lions stay alive". Manila Standard.

[6] "V-Day again for MIT Cards". Manila Standard.

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[b]

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