NCAA: JRU boosts Final Four bid, Letran halts 6-game slide

Jose Rizal University’s Ry Dela Rosa sizes up King Gurtiza in their victory against Emilio Aguinaldo College.-NCAA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Jose Rizal University bolstered its Final Four hopes with a 77-64 drubbing of Emilio Aguinaldo College in the NCAA Season 99 men’s basketball tournament at San Juan Arena on Tuesday.

Currently in fourth with a 10-6 record, the Heavy Bombers moved half a game behind third-running College of St. Benilde and two and a half games ahead of San Beda.

Joshua Guiab muscled his way to a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds for JRU while Marwin Dionisio scored 16. Jonathan Medina also had 11 points.

Nat Cosejo and JP Maguliano tallied 12 points each for the Generals, who slid to seventh at 8-8.

Letran, meanwhile, snapped a six-game losing skid at the expense of also-ran Arellano, 67-58.

Both squads now share a 2-14 card with two games left in their season.

Kobe Monje did a little bit of everything for the defending champions with 13 points, four assists and three boards on 6-of-12 shooting.

Arellano, which didn’t have a single player scoring double digits, absorbed its fourth straight loss.