JRU Heavy Bombers.
Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—Jose Rizal University head coach Louie Gonzalez believes he found the perfect team after seven games in the NCAA Season 98 tournament.
Holding a 5-2 record in the latter part of round one, the Heavy Bombers sit in the second spot just below the streaky College of St. Benilde. They are also on a five-game winning streak since losing their first two games.
“This is the team that you need in this kind of tournament format. There are a lot of considerations like suspensions and injuries. We all studied them,” Gonzalez in Filipino said after their 63-57 win against Lyceum on Friday.
“All 15 of them, anytime, can play,” he added.
JRU only won one game last season but has already gained more wins in only the first round this time.
But Gonzales wants his players to compete without checking the standings from time to time as it would pressure them heading forward.
“I’ve been with this organization for three years already but with this lineup, almost everything is new. So I don’t want to put pressure on my players,” he explained.
Marwin Dionisio, who finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, believes the current Heavy Bombers team complements well with Gonzalez.
“The reason why our coach likes us is because we always follow his gameplay. If we don’t follow it, we’ll probably go down at the bottom of the standing,” he said.
“Last year, we did not have Agen Miranda, John Amores and Ry Dela Rosa. We have rookies now. We’re established this year so we can show everyone that we can do it,” the 6-foot-4 bruiser added.
Amores finished with eight points, three rebounds, a steal and a block, including the game-clinching inside shot with 26.8 remaining to put them up, 61-57.
The Heavy Bombers will end their first round against a struggling San Sebastian, which holds a 2-4 record, on Tuesday at 12 nn.