JRU spoils USC’s Filoil debut

MANILA, Philippines – The Jose Rizal University Heavy Bombers pounced on the “star-struck” University of San Carlos Warriors at tip-off and never stepped off the gas pedal in a 78-61 win at the Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup at the San Juan Arena.

JRU center Philip Mabulac scored eight of his team’s first 10 points in a 10-2 opening blast that set the tone for JRU. The Heavy Bombers posted a 25-point lead following a lay-up by Ghanaian center Razak Abdulwahab.

The game was stopped briefly following a near scuffle that saw JRU’s Nonoy Benavides and USC’s Glennson Ybanez ejected for punching fouls.

For much of the first half, the Warriors struggled to find their range and their game with only 6’5” Congolese center Espoir Toyambi carrying the fight. Toyambi with 16 of his team’s 23 points.

In the third period, US settled down as they began to heat up from the three-point line. Point guard Kiefer Lim stroked in a triple after which teammate Miguel Plata drilled three consecutive triples in a 12-2 blast.

All of a sudden, Jose Rizal University’s imposing lead was down, 52-39, with 1:10 to play in the third period.

With a boisterous crowd of supporters cheering on the Warriors, JRU’s long-range heavy bomber – Philip Paniamogan – found his range.

Paniamogan assisted on a play and fired three triples including one right before the buzzer to end the third period in a fiery wind up that restored the lead to 63-45.

That took the starch out of USC. And with Jaycee Asuncion picking up where Paniamogan left off by knocking down two triples and a fade away jumper that hiked the lead back to 23, 76-53 with 3:20 left in the game.

“We had no idea how they (USC) plays,” said JRU head coach Vergel Meneses after the match. “All we knew was they had a strong foreign post player. So we had to be ready for that. Philip (Mabulac) was consistent and when he is we can be very good.”

Meneses’ counterpart, former pro Junthy Valenzuela admitted to his wards being “star struck.”

“Nabigla yung mga boys. Masama yung linaro namin. Yung gusto natin ipakita ng player hindi lumabas. Yung mga foreign player namin lang ang gumawa tapos yung isang veteran point guard namin (Ybanez) thrown out pa. Hopefully, next game ganun na sila. Our aim is just to be competitive and learn from this experience so when we go back to Cebu for CESAFI, we can apply those learnings,” Valenzuela said.

Asuncion led JRU with 18 points while Tey Teodoro and Paniamogan chipped in 14.

Toyambi topscored for his squad with 20 points while his Cameroonian teammate, the 6’7” Shooster Olago added 14 points.

Notes: USC’s Kiefer Lim used to play for the Ateneo Blue Eaglets alongside Kiefer Ravena and Von Pessumal while his Warriors teammates Nico Magat and Miguel Plata once played for the San Beda Red Cubs under Coach Ato Badolato.

The scores

JRU 78 – Asuncion 18, Teodoro 14, Paniamogan 14, Abdulwahab 10, Mabulac 9, Marticio 5, Lasquety 2, Balagtas 2, Benemerito 2, Dela Paz 1, Salaveria 1, Benavides 0.

USC 61 – Toyambi 20, Olago 14, Plata 12, Lim 6, Magat 5, Ortega 2, Rocha 2, Rabat 0, Bensig 0, Laude 0, Oleodo 0, Pepito 0, Cortes 0, Ybanez 0, Trozo 0.