The Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers rallied back from a sluggish first round to knocking on the doors of the top four. However, JRU suffered their most crushing setback in an 89-80 double overtime loss against the Perpetual Altas, Friday afternoon, that sent the Kalentong squad a full game behind the Mapua Cardinals.
“Ito yung pinakamasakit [na talo] talaga,” lamented JRU head coach Vergel Meneses. “Okay lang yun sa EAC, makikita the whole game na maganda ang nilaro ng EAC.”
“Ito naman almost a won ball game na.”
“Sa akin hindi ko na palulusutin yun. Patay na yan. Sayang lang talaga,” the 47-year-old mentor added.
JRU almost had the game in the bag, holding a 64-57 lead with 1:25 seconds remaining in the game. However, back-to-back unforced turnovers by Tey Teodoro and Paolo Pontejos led to a 7-0 Perpetual blast, capped by a GJ Ylagan triple to send the game into overtime.
“We’re up by seven with 1:25 to go. Uubusin na lang niyan yung oras,” Meneses reflected. “If you made a mistake, pagbaba, defensive stop na lang.”
JRU were greatly out-rebounded in the game, 63 to 38, and were pounced on in the paint as Perpetual had 46 inside points.
Though Teodoro displayed his usual heroics in extra time, he also committed two crucial turnovers in the most pivotal moments of the game. Moreover, the third year gunslinger forced his shot in the last 10 minutes of the game much to the dismay of his mentor.
“Hindi ko masagot… pero poor decision making on the part of Teodoro,” the PBA legend deplored. “Doon nagsimula ‘yun.”
With just three games remaining, JRU are in danger of missing the Final Four for the first time since 2013. And Meneses knows that it is slipping away.
“Slim chance na yan. If nanalo kami ngayon, malaki pa tsansa,” he rued. “Kaso hindi. I don’t think Mapua will let this slip away.”
