In a hard-fought battle for the third-place podium during the PALAKASAN 2026 men’s basketball finals, the Mollycule Lynxes of the College of Science and Mathematics (CSM) secured a 72-64 victory over the Cassanova Arachnids of the College of Arts and Social Sciences (CASS) on Tuesday, April 14, at the Institute Gymnasium.
Cassanova opened the game with urgency, as Principe, player #30, scored the opening bucket. While CSM struggled early with penalties, player #36, Alum, kept the Mollycule Lynxes afloat by burying back-to-back three-pointers to snatch a temporary lead. Despite a late surge from CASS players Actub (#1) and Ramos (#5), the first quarter remained a narrow “push and pull” affair.
The second quarter saw both teams trading blows in the paint. CSM’s player #21 emerged as a consistent interior threat, but Cassanova responded with a flurry of scoring from Absin (#17) and Samson (#12). CASS showcased superior verticality, jumping high to block CSM’s shot attempts.
The intensity peaked in the third quarter as Cassanova’s Samson began to dominate the charity stripe and the perimeter. A massive three-point shot from Samson fueled a run that allowed the Spider Arachnids to lead 54-50. However, CSM’s defense remained resilient, and by the end of the period, Cassanova held a fragile 56-53 lead.
During the final period, the momentum shifted entirely toward the Mollycule Lynxes. While the scores tied early at 58, CSM’s Alum went on an absolute tear from beyond the arc, dismantling Cassanova’s defense with a series of consecutive three-pointers and sparking a 12-0 run that pushed the lead to 70-58.
Cassanova’s Absin and Samson attempted to defend, but CSM’s late-game execution proved too much to overcome.
Alum was named Player of the Game, finishing with a game-high 22 points. He attributed the win to spiritual and tactical preparation, saying, “Una sa tanan kay pray kay God. During the first quarter, we just focused on running our plays and we listened to our coach to just play our game so we could find the momentum we were looking for.”
With this victory, the Mollycule Lynx Trolls officially claimed the bronze medal, ending their PALAKASAN 2026 on the podium through disciplined teamwork and a historic fourth-quarter shooting performance.
Written by Raneshka Angela Gudes
Proofread by Andrea Ross Sedero
Photos by Ezer Neil Pasco
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