Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Paolo Pontejos admits that it wasn’t the swan song he was hoping for in his final year in Jose Rizal University.
Inconsistent all season long, the senior averaged only 10.9 points on a 30-percent shooting from three, alongside 2.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists this NCAA Season 92.
Those numbers weren’t enough to propel the Heavy Bombers back to the Final Four, as even a late season spurt could only get them to as high as fifth with a 9-9 card.
READ: Meneses looking at complete overhaul after JRU’s woeful season
“Frustrating, pero ginawa naman namin ang best namin,” he said.
Pontejos knows that this year’s JRU crew is a far cry from his teams of the past, where coach Vergel Meneses could always count on the team’s defense to propel it past the opposition.
Not helping was the Heavy Bombers’ flat start, opening the season at 1-4 and stumbling to a 3-5 record near the end of the first round before racking up four straight victories to get themselves back in the race.
But costly losses to EAC and Perpetual cut their season short as they ended the year on a three-game skid.
READ: San Sebastian ends campaign with rout of JRU
“Yung mga crucial games, especially nung first round ang nakadali sa amin. Nag-start kami ng run, kaso sa crucial games natalo kami,” said Pontejos. “Siguro kung nung first round puro panalo kami, mas may kumpyansa siguro kami.”
Though disappointed, the 5-foot-8 playmaker treasures his stay in Kalentong, saying, “Sobrang sarap maglaro dito sa NCAA. Parang na-fulfill ko rin yung gusto kong mangyari sa college career ko.”
Pontejos now looks forward in making a splash outside of JRU, as is tries to make the jump to the pro league.
“Magpapa-draft na ako this year,” he said.