Clint Escamis: From Playground Dreamer to Mapua Star

It all starts with curiosity. For 24-year-old Mapua Cardinals guard Clint Escamis, his basketball journey began with a simple question: What are they playing?

As a 6-year-old, Clint was more focused on playing tag with his friends than the game on the nearby court. But one day, curiosity struck when he saw his dad and brothers shooting hoops.

“I was like 6 or 7 years old, playing with the kids sa playground. Then syempre nagka-interes ako nung nakita ko silang naglalaro. Ano kaya yung nilalaro nila?” Escamis shared with ALL-STAR about the early days of his hooper’s journey in an exclusive interview.

From the playground to the court, Clint learned the basics by watching. After the adults finished playing on their subdivision court, he would sneak in to shoot around. He made a promise to himself: one day, he’d play alongside them.

“I started basketball by watching my two brothers and my dad. Syempre nung bata, you know the typical na hindi pinapalaro kasi matanda yung naglalaro. So after their game, nag-shooting-shooting ako. One day, sabi ko, makakarating din ako, makakalaro din ako sa inyo. As time goes by, nakalaro din ako sa kanila,” he recalled.

Climbing the ladder to varsity wasn’t easy either. With determination and his mother’s support, Clint worked hard to develop the mesmerizing skills and unbreakable confidence we see on the court today.

“I wanted to go varsity, so nag-pursigi ako. Nakuha naman ako sa varsity. Then syempre my mom took me to those camps—like Milo Best Camp, mga kung saan-saan na laro sa Manila. Dun na siguro nadevelop yung mga skills ko at yung confidence ko.”

But basketball is not a solo endeavor. Clint acknowledges the importance of teamwork and the Mapua community’s unwavering support. He says their encouragement bolstered his confidence throughout the season, as they now stand one win away from winning NCAA Season 100’s elusive basketball crown.

“For me, syempre malaking bagay yun kasi nakakataas ng confidence. Knowing na I’m MVP to their hearts pa din, at the same time, binoblock out ko din yung noise kasi focus ako sa game. But nakakatuwa din knowing na I got a whole community—the Mapua Community—backing up my name.”

“MVP!” they chanted religiously as Escamis’ 30 points carved up St. Benilde’s defense in the finals opener.

Off the court, Clint is a future engineer juggling the challenges of academics and athletics. He is thankful to his professors and dean for their understanding during the demanding finals period.

“Binibigyan nila ako ng make-ups. Syempre andito na kami sa finals, eh. Syempre hindi rin ako nakaka-attend (ng classes), pero nakaka-make-up naman ako sa mga activities na binibigay nila.”

His choice of engineering was inspired by his brothers—the same ones who introduced him to basketball. Both are Mapua graduates, and their achievements motivated him to follow their path.

“Yung dalawa kong kuya engineering graduate sa Mapua. I wanted to follow their paths. Isang kuya ko mechanical engineering, yung isa kong kuya engineering management. So ayun, I took up industrial engineering kasi yun na yung less taxing sa Mapua.”

Time management plays a big role in Clint’s success. Despite his busy schedule, he makes it a priority to spend quality moments with his family and himself for peace of mind.

“In-season, syempre super focus ako. But di ko naman tinatanggal yung family time, yung me time. Kasi basketball isn’t just my world; may mga ibang bagay sa buhay ko na hindi basketball. So kailangan ko i-balance yun. Syempre I don’t want to be just very into basketball, but at the same time, may oras ako sa basketball, may oras din ako sa ibang bagay.”

Interestingly, Clint has a surprising self-care routine: he loves body care products. He credits his girlfriend for introducing him to lotions and skincare, a habit he now enjoys.

“I’m into body care, like mga lotions ganon. Influence sakin ng girlfriend ko. I don’t know the brand (of my favorite one), but the flavor is almond something. I’ll gatekeep that one kasi ayoko ng may nanggagaya, but it’s in Rockwell.”

While he keeps his skincare favorites a secret, Clint doesn’t hold back his gratitude for the Mapua Community and their unrelenting support for the powerful Cardinals.