NCAA: JRU pulls off big fightback

Jose Rizal U coach Vergel Meneses has played in some epic clashes in his career. But he couldn’t exactly recall being involved in a comeback as spectacular as the one his Heavy Bombers pulled off Tuesday in the 91st NCAA basketball tournament.

With point guard Tey Teodoro delivering the performance of his career, the Bombers came up with an astonishing rally that stunned the Mapua Cardinals, 90-87, at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan.

The 5-foot-9 Teodoro exploded for a career-high 32 points as the Bombers fought back from 18 down in the last 3:40 to cap the epic rally for a 5-3 card and solo fourth.

“Sometimes, it’s not about the coaching; it’s the instinct of the players especially in emergencies,” said Meneses. “This win is all about the way the players responded to the challenge.”

MAPUA’S Allwell Oraeme gets botted up in the paint by a Jose Rizal double team in yesterday’s game at Filoil Flying V Arena. AUGUST DELA CRUZ

Later, Perpetual Help found unlikely heroes in Prince Eze and AC Coronel as it snapped Emilio Aguinaldo College’s two-game winning run with a gutsy 68-55 win.

Bright Akhuetie and Earl Scottie Thompson combined for just five points, but Eze and Coronel stepped up, joining forces in a strong second-half assault that boosted the Altas to their sixth win in eight games.
Teodoro fired 13 of the Bombers’ last 24 points, the most decisive of which coming in the last 3.2 seconds when he spun around Allwell Oraeme for a layup to give the Bombers an 88-87 lead.

The Bombers looked like goners when Darell Menina buried a second straight triple to extend the Cardinals’ lead to 84-66 with 3:40 remaining. The basket roused JRU from its lethargic state as Teodoro took charge down the stretch to pull off the unthinkable.

The scores:

First Game
JRU 90—Teodoro 32, Dela Paz 20, Pontejos 16, Cruz 8, Dela Virgen 5, Abdulwahab 4, Poutouochi 3, Sanchez 2, Lasquety 0, Aurin 0, Balagtas 0, Grospe 0, David 0.
MAPUA 87—Oraeme 25, Que 19, Biteng 14, Menina 8, Stevens 6, Aguirre 5, Brana 4, Raflores 4, Serrano 2.
Quarters: 20-21, 38-34, 53-64, 90-87
Second Game
PERPETUAL HELP 68—Eze 17, Coronel 16, Oliveria 8, Dagangon 8, Dizon 5, Thompson 4, Tamayo 2, Bantayan 2, Gallardo 2, Cabiltes 2, Sadiwa 1, Akhuetie 1, Ylagan 0, Elopre 0.
EAC 55—Munsayac 18, Hamadou 12, Onwubere 8, Pascua 6, Mejos 3, Morada 3, Corilla 3, General 2, Bonleon 0.
Quarters: 12-12, 30-23, 48-38, 68-55