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THE Jose Rizal (JRU) Heavy Bombers handed the San
Beda Red Lions their first defeat in two years, 79-74, Wednesday to
get back on track in the 84th National Collegiate Athletics
Association basketball tournament at the Cuneta Astrodome.
Jay Bulangis and Marc Cagoco
delivered from beyond the arc, combining for nine three-pointers, to
open up the usually impenetrable defense of the Red Lions.
The duo canned 5 triples in the
second half.
“We feel like champions right
now,” said JRU coach Ariel Vanguardia. “Our three-pointers and
offensive rebounds carried us in this game.”
The Heavy Bombers collected 27
offensive rebounds, giving them more opportunities, and most
importantly, more confidence to shoot.
The loss, San Beda’s first
since 2006, dropped the defending champ to second place at 5-1.
“I told the boys to keep on
shooting from the outside,” said Vanguardia.
The ploy worked wonders for them
especially in critical stretches.
A trey by Cagoco ended the third
quarter scoring and gave the Heavy Bombers a 54-52 lead.
It was one of the rare occasions
that the Red Lions found themselves trailing heading into the payoff
period.
A 7-2 run at the start of the
fourth capped by another of Cagoco’s 6 triples pushed JRU’s lead
to 61-54, 6:51 left.
The Red Lions applied their
customary endgame pressure, but to no avail this time as the Heavy
Bombers answered their every rally.
In high school matches, the San
Beda Red Cubs downed the Jose Rizal Light Bombers, 89-81, while the
Letran Squires proved too much for the Mapua Red Robins, 136-53.
--Frank Calapre
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