JRU Heavy Bombers. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Jose Rizal University stayed in the Final Four hunt with a 73-69 victory over St. Benilde Tuesday in the NCAA Season 91 men’s basketball tournament at San Juan Arena.
Tey Teodoro bucked poor shooting and provided the clutch heroics for the Heavy Bombers, who notched their second straight victory.
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His penetration opened the window for an undergoal stab John Grospe that put his team ahead, 68-67 with 1:12 remaining. Teodoro, then, split his freebies and immediately swiped the ball off of Travis Jonson to extend JRU’s lead to four, 73-69 with 15.8 left to play.
The 5-foot-10 guard finished with 17 points, six rebounds, and three assists for JRU.
“Buhay pa. May pag-asa pa. Ganyan naman lagi ang JRU eh,” said JRU coach Vergel Meneses, as his squad remained at sixth place with an 8-6 card.
(We’re still alive. We still have hope. That’s how we always are with JRU.)
READ: NCAA: JRU nukes EAC, keeps playoff hopes alive
Abdel Poutouochi also had a double-double in the win with 13 markers and 15 boards while Paolo Pontejos also got 13.
Grospe and Marco Balagtas both finished with 10 points apiece.
The loss sent the also-ran St. Benilde to its sixth defeat in its last seven games.
It also spoiled Jonathan Grey’s 34-point, 7-rebound, and 4-assists output.
The Scores:
JRU 73 – Teodoro 17, Pontejos 13, Poutouochi 13, Balagtas 10, Grospe 10, Sanchez 4, Abdulwahab 3, Estrella 2, Dela Paz 1, Lasquety 0, Cruz 0, Dela Virgen 0.
ST. BENILDE 69 – Grey 34, Ongteco 10, JJ Domingo 9, Deles 7, Jonson 3, Nayve 3, Fajarito 3, JS Domingo 0, Castor 0, Saavedra 0, Young 0, San Juan 0.
Quarters: 12-12, 35-32, 57-52, 73-69.