The Heavy Bombers continue to have the Red Lions’ number.
After handing the San Beda College Red Lions its first loss of the season, the Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers handed the Mendiola cagers its worst loss of the season, routing last season’s runners-up 97-88 Tuesday afternoon at the Filoil Flying V Centre.
The loss, its third in the last four games, drops the Red Lions to second place with an 11-4 slate. The surging Heavy Bombers, winners of five of its last six, keep pace with the Mapua Cardinals for the fourth spot.
Teytey Teodoro bombarded the Red Lions to the tune of 28 points, going 5-of-9 from downtown. Moreover, Teodoro found a sidekick for the game.
Sophomore MJ Dela Virgen notched his career-high 20 points, scoring 15 points in the game-breaking second stanza.
Dela Virgen knocked down two triples during the second quarter that helped JRU gain its biggest lead of the game 27 points.
“Nung pumasok siya nung second quarter, he gave us a lift,” JRU head coach Vergel Meneses said about the JRU lifer.
The Heavy Bombers were able to maintain a double-digit lead all throughout the third canto. However, the sleeping Lions finally woke up in the final frame.
Behind the frontline of Arnaud Noah and Javee Mocon, San Beda was able to take advantage of the foul and error prone Heavy Bombers. A 7-0 rally by San Beda sliced the lead to just seven, 93-86, with 1:21 remaining.
However, the Heavy Bombers were easily able to break the Mendiola press that led to back-to-back baskets for Abdulwahab Abdulrazak that sealed the game in favor of the surging Heavy Bombers.
“Ngayon ko lang nakita na nagpasahan sila ng ganiyan,” Meneses remarked about the 28 assists tallied by his team in the game that led to a 59 percent shooting clip. “Sabi ko sa kanila, huwag nila pahirapin ang basketball and trust each other.”
This win also marks the first-time the Heavy Bombers have scored an elimination round sweep of the Red Lions since Meneses took over.
Javee Mocon led San Beda with 26 points. Dan Sara and Robert Bolick added 13 and 10 points respectively in the loss.
The Heavy Bombers (5th,9-6) will next face the Perpetual Altas on Friday, September 8 at 12:00nn. The Red Lions (2nd, 11-4) look to snap out of the funk that they are in on the same day, facing the Lyceum Pirates (5-10) at 2:00pm.
The Scores:
JRU (97) – Teodoro 28, Dela Virgen 20, Cruz 11, Poutouochi 10, Grospe 10, Pontejos 6, Abdulrazak 6, Dela Paz 4, Lasquety 2.
SBC (88) – Mocon 26, Sara 13, Noah 11, Bolick 10, Potts 9, Soberano 5, Tongco 5, Oftana 5, Presbitero 2, Adamos 2, Bahio 0, Bonsubre 0, Carlos 0.
Quarterscores: 33-18, 56-34, 79-57, 97-88
