The JRU Heavy Bombers trailed by 14, yet they still found a way to walk out with the win anyway. The Heavy Bombers overcame that deficit to stun the Arellano Chiefs, 64-62, in the NCAA Season 102 Men’s Basketball Tournament on Tuesday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City, extending their winning streak to two and improving to 4-1 in Group A. Arellano slipped to 4-2 in Group B.
Arellano controlled the first half almost entirely, holding JRU to a brutal 9-of-34 shooting clip from the field and taking a commanding 42-31 lead into the break. The Chiefs still had an 11-point cushion with three minutes left in the third quarter before the Heavy Bombers finally found their footing, closing the period on a 9-2 run to trim the gap to four, 53-49.
JRU’s offense stalled again to open the fourth, going scoreless from the field for the first six minutes of the period. Arellano failed to capitalize on the drought, though, and Chris Hubilla’s layup pulled JRU within three with four minutes to go. Arellano went cold of its own accord shortly after, allowing Lawrence Mangubat to tie the game at 57-all with a clutch triple.
JRU, Arellano Go Down the Wire
From there, the finish turned into a genuine back-and-forth. Hubilla split a pair of free throws to give JRU its first lead of the game with 2:52 remaining, only for Ernest Geronimo to restore the tie at 58-all on one of two free throws. T-Mc Ongotan put Arellano back in front with a tough one-handed bank shot with 1:45 left, and Joseph Hernal stretched the lead to four, 62-58, with a pair of free throws. Mangubat answered again, draining another three with 19.9 seconds left to cut the margin to one. JRU then forced a turnover on Arellano’s ensuing full-court inbound, and Sean Salvador was fouled on the resulting shot attempt, calmly sinking both free throws to put the Heavy Bombers ahead, 63-62.
Ongotan had one last look to reclaim the lead for Arellano with under 10 seconds remaining, but his potential go-ahead layup missed. Hubilla split his free throws on the other end to give JRU just enough cushion to seal the comeback.
“Noong halftime, I challenged them na we’re in a different scenario kasi kami lagi lamang going into halftime. So sabi ko sa kanila, it’s a test of character for them and the whole team kung paano tayo babalik,” said JRU coach Nani Epondulan. “Sabi ko sa kanila, ‘yung energy at ‘yung effort i-pick up lang nila and good things will happen.”
Mangubat, Hubilla Lead the Way for Heavy Bombers
Mangubat led JRU with 14 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 steals. “Sobrang thankful ako kasi binibigay sa akin ‘yung ganoong kumpiyansa ni Coach Nani [Epondulan] at ng mga kasama ko,” he said. Hubilla matched him with 14 points and added 5 rebounds.
Ongotan was Arellano’s lone double-digit scorer, finishing with 23 points and 9 rebounds. Basti Valencia, who scored 9 points in the first half, was held scoreless after the break.
JRU faces the San Sebastian Golden Stags on Friday, October 9, at 3:00 p.m., while Arellano takes on the Benilde Blazers at 5:00 p.m. Both games are set for PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
