JRU back on track, pips Letran

JRU’s Teytey Teodoro (right) evades the defense of Letran’s JP Calvo. —AUGUST DELA CRUZ

Jose Rizal University wasted no time in getting back to the win column by frustrating Letran, 77-68, in the NCAA Season 93 men’s basketball tournament Thursday at Filoil Flying V Centre.

The Heavy Bombers held on to the third seed with a 7-4 record while the Knights slipped to a 5-6 card to hang precariously out of the top four.

JRU saw its winning run snapped at four by the Arellano Chiefs and JRU head coach Vergel Meneses praised his team for showing maturity in bouncing back from a loss.

“It was important for us to bounce back after we lost to Arellano,” said Meneses in Filipino. “And this win showed the character of the players, that they can recover after a heartbreaking loss.”

In the second game, Christian Garcia dropped 20 of his 27 points in the first quarter alone and Sidney Onwuebere had 16 points and 15 rebounds as Emilio Aguinaldo College ripped Mapua University, 85-72, to keep its Final Four hopes afloat.

Already playing minus big man Hamadou Laminou, who went down with a season-ending ACL injury, the Generals also lost bruiser Juju Bautista, who hurt his shoulder in a previous match.

But it hardly mattered against an undermanned Cardinals squad, who dropped to 1-11 for the season. The Generals, meanwhile, improved to 5-6 to move to within half a game out of the playoff circle. —BONG LOZADA, INQUIRER.NET