BY MICHAEL JUGADO and ABBY TORALBA
JOSE Rizal University underscored the unpredictability of the NCAA cage wars after stunning reigning three-time champion Letran yesterday.
With Agem Miranda showing the way, the Heavy Bombers pulled off an 85-79 overtime in the match that launched the 99th NCAA basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Miranda notched 17 points, three rebounds, and three assists for JRU, while Marwin Dionisio barely missed a double-double with 17 markers and nine boards.
Rookie guard Shawn Argente also gave a good account himself with 12 points, all on three-pointers for the Bombers, and Vince Sarmiento had 10 markers.
JRU coach Louie Gonzalez was the least surprised with how his wards played against the bewildered Letran five.
“It’s for us setting the tone in our first game. Siguro na-witness naman natin iyong depth ng bench ko right now, that’s one thing na talagang trinabaho namin during the off season, we wanted to be unpredictable in terms of player usage,” Gonzalez said. “So, kahit sino, kahit sino puwedeng pumutok anytime. We’re really struggling, especially shooting from the outside all throughout kasi Ry (Dela Rosa) could really connect pero buti nalang Argente stepped up.
“Crucial talaga iyong kanyang mga three-points doon and malaking booster iyon kasi we’re trailing the whole game. Hirap na hirap kami makuha iyong tamang combination pero lumabas iyong kanilang chemistry,” he added.
The Shaw Boulevard-based Bombers took a 40-39 buffer at the half, but the Knights charged back and grabbed a 56-64 lead heading into the final stanza.
An Argente triple gave JRU a 71-70 cushion before Dionisio made it a 73-71 all count.
But Deo Cuajao banged in a clutch trey that forged a 73-all tiff in the last 3.2 seconds.
Dionisio missed on a last-gasp three-pointer at the buzzer.
After falling 76-77 early in extension, the Bombers surged ahead and put the game to bed.
Kurt Reyson paced Letran, with new coach Rensy Bajar calling the shots, with 18 points, six caroms, and four feeds, while Kevin Santos and Cuajao added 16 and 12 markers, respectively.
Pao Javillonar and Kobe Monje also got 12 and 11, respectively, for the Knights.
It was a fiery start for a JRU quintet that has come out of a sad, unfortunate incident from a season ago that involved John Amores.
“He is still a family, he will always be a JRU Bomber,” said Gonzales of his former player, who was recently drafted by NorthPort in the PBA.
