Jose Rizal University finally broke through in the win column, while Arellano University remains perfect in the 90th National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) seniors basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City.
JRU, which dropped their first two contests against four-time defending champion San Beda College on opening day and against San Sebastian College last Wednesday, finally broke through in the win column after a pulsating 69-61 finish in the featured contest.
Michael Mabulac led the charge for the Heavy Bombers with 16 points and 12 rebounds, followed by Tey Teodoro’s 11 points, including the game-clinching trey from the top of the arc with 2:09 in the contest.
Trailing by as much as 19 midway through the third period, Benilde assaulted the cold-shooting JRU five early in the final canto to inch closer by a basket, 63-61, on Travis Jonson’s trey with 3:28 left in the ballgame.
However, JRU woke up just in time to save the win, thanks to timely sniping by Anthony Benavides and Teodoro.
“I’m not happy with the way they played [in the first two games]. Parang walang respeto, so it was about time that I spoke up,” said JRU Head Coach Vergel Meneses, who sent a message to the team by missing the last four scheduled practice sessions prior to the contest.
The win gives Season 90’s host their first win in three tries, while sending Benilde to their second consecutive loss.
Fons Saavedra led Benilde with 15 points and eight rebounds, while Paolo Taha added 11.
On the other hand, Arellano U gained massive contributions from big men Levi Hernandez and Dioncee Holts to secure an 80-73 decision in the first game.
The third year Hernandez — a former St. Francis of Assisi College forward — scored a team-high 20 on 10-for-16 shooting mark in the contest. Holts, recruited from Citrus College in California, produced a double-double output of 15 points and 10 rebounds for the Chiefs, which improved to 2-0 — their best start since their inaugural campaign as a guest member in 2009.
Trailing by 14 with 9:25 left in the period, the Generals clawed their way back to slice their deficit to just four within the last two minutes. But the wards of Head Coach Gerry Esplana shot themselves in the foot, nixing every conceiveable opportunity that came their way, including a 24-second violation that could have cut their disadvantage to a single basket.
“Sinabi ko sa [mga players] na it will be close kasi knowing [EAC Head Coach] Gerry [Esplana], going up against seniors [Joko] Tayongtong and [Jan] Jamon, I saw na hindi maghehesitate ang mga iyan. True enough, gumawa nga sila,” said Arellano U head coach Jerry Codiñera.
Jamon led EAC with 20 points, followed by Cedric Noube Happi’s double-double output of 17 points and 10 boards, and Tayongtong’s 10 points, six rebounds, and five assists. The Generals slide to 1-1 early in the tournament.
