The Jose Rizal University (JRU) Heavy Bombers easily handled the Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) Generals, 73-58, in a battle of two National Collegiate Athletic Association teams in the 2015 FilOil-Flying V Hanes Premier Cup at the FilOil-Flying V Arena in San Juan City.
Fouls defined the opening quarter, with both squads scoring off free throw after free throw. Lagging by a single point, 10-9, JRU surge for an 8-3 run capped by an Abdel Poutouochi layup to taste the lead, 17-13, with 1:35 left. A pair of freebies from Kim Aurin put JRU on top, 19-15, at the end of the first quarter.
From the slim four-point lead, JRU coasted to post their very first double-digit lead, 29-17, behind their offensive firepower, with less than five minutes remaining in the second period. EAC’s last seven points were mostly off free throws by Hamadou Laminou, Reymond Pascua, and Sydney Onwubere. The first half ended with JRU still ahead, 33-24.
The Generals, in the third frame, went back and trimmed the Heavy Bombers’ deficit to just four, 37-33, with 6:26 remaining. But JRU, behind the hot shooting of guard Gio Lasquety, silenced the Generals as he steered the Heavy Bombers to a huge twenty-point advantage, 56-36, to end the quarter in their favor. Lasquety alone scored 15 in the said frame.
It was all JRU in the final canto, for they posted their biggest lead of the game, 62-37, after an and-one layup by Kim Aurin in the 7:24 mark. The Heavy Bombers sustained their lead, but EAC was still able to punch in some baskets down the stretch, even cutting down the deficit to just nine, 65-46, with guard Francis Munsayac sinking a trey with 3:38 left in the game.
Unfortunately, it was the closest EAC could ever get, as JRU, behind Lasquety, Ervin Gorospe, and Tey Teodoro, shut the door close for an EAC comeback and regained their form by attacking the basket, taking their offense inside. Their efforts on both ends of the floor rewarded them a 15-point victory to improve to 4-1.
Despite the victory, JRU Head Coach Vergel Meneses was not satisfied with the way his team played. “Hindi kami consistent,” said Meneses. JRU shot 49 per cent in the field (29-59), but only converted two triples out of eleven tries (18 per cent). The Heavy Bombers were outrebounded by EAC, 41-35.
Lasquety led all scorers with 24 points by by shooting 9-10 on the field. Teodoro had 11, while Poutouochi added 10. Remy Morada led the Generals with 13 points.
JRU will play next Wednesday, May 27, against the National University Bulldogs at 5 PM. EAC, meanwhile, will have a week-long rest before playing Adamson University Soaring Falcons next Friday, May 29, at 11:45 AM.
The Scores:
JRU 73 – Lasquety 24, Teodoro 11, Poutouochi 10, Balagtas 6, Gorospe 6, Dela Virgen 4, Aurin 4, Abdul-Wahab 2, Estrella 2, Dela Paz 2, Sanchez 2
EAC 58 – Morada 13, Munsayac 8, Pascua 7, Pascual 5, Laminou 5, Diego 5, Mallari 4, Onwubere 3, Mbang 3, General 3, Saludo 2
| TEAMS | 1ST | 2ND | 3RD | 4TH |
| JRU (A, 4-1) | 19 | 33 | 56 | 73 |
| EAC (A, 1-5) | 15 | 24 | 36 | 58 |
