Bombers ripe for elusive NCAA crown after FilOil preseason conquest

JRU’s Lawrence Mangubat

(FilOil)

MANILA, Philippines — And here comes a new player not named San Beda and Letran in the chase for NCAA basketball realm supremacy.

Jose Rizal University just announced its readiness to contend and challenge the usual protagonists in the coming NCAA Season 102, on the heels of a historic FilOil Preseason Cup title conquest against fancied UAAP and NCAA counterparts.

“From the start, ‘yun naman talaga ‘yung goal namin,” said coach Nani Epondulan, a former NCAA MVP with the Heavy Bombers before a homecoming as a head coach last season. “Syempre tina-trabaho naman namin. Ta-trabahuin pa namin (sa NCAA).”

JRU, a runner-up to La Salle in the inaugural Filoil joust in 2006, rose to the top of the preseason tourney participated by all UAAP and NCAA squads by stunning reigning NCAA champions Red Lions for their first-ever Filoil title with a 2-0 sweep in the best-of-three finale.

The Heavy Bombers ran away in Game 1, 70-59, before hacking out a 74-67 Game-2 win behind tournament MVP Lawrence Mangubat, who had 27 points, three rebounds and three assists in the clincher. It’s a fitting follow-up to their massive semifinal win against Letran, one of the NCAA forces that finished just second to San Beda in Season 101.

It’s also the first basketball title for JRU since winning the Fr. Martin’s Cup in 2015. But the longer drought to snap is in the real arena of the NCAA, with the school’s last championship going back to 1972.

“Masyado nang mahaba ‘yung trinabaho nila dito sa FilOil pero kailangan mas gustuhin namin (sa NCAA),” added Epondulan, son of also a bona fide and former MVP Heavy Bomber Estelito, as he looks to finally get the job done in his second season after a quarterfinal exit last year.

Mangubat, a transferee from former champion Mapua as well as his running mate Chris Hubilla, promises the same for the Mandaluyong-based hoopers in long, winding NCAA agony.

“Trinabaho namin itong (FilOil championship) at ta-trabahuhin uli namin sa NCAA,” vowed Mangubat.

The NCAA Season 102, now under new broadcast partner CIgnal, opens in September with host San Beda remaining as the biggest hurdle to JRU’s bid, especially after the Red Lions’ equally commendable FilOil run by eliminating UAAP powerhouses La Salle and UP.