The De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) Blazers faltered against the José Rizal University (JRU) Heavy Bombers in a decisive match, 79-85, today, Nov. 6 at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
The Blazers notched the first points on the board after Jhommel Ancheta found SJ Moore at the corner and stepped in to take a jumper, while the Heavy Bombers answered with back-to-back buckets by Jamhir Eligado. The Kalentong squad began to pull away, courtesy of Sean Salvador, but Mowell Morales fired consecutive triples to keep the Taft squad within striking distance. With less than a minute remaining, Josh Cajucom penetrated the defense and sank a layup, ending the quarter at 23-20.
The Heavy Bombers took control in the second quarter, turning a three-point deficit into a six-point halftime advantage, with a commanding 25-16 run led by Lawrence Mangubat. The Blazers struggled to keep up as their early advantage slowly slipped away. Despite the men in green and white’s efforts to stay within reach, the Heavy Bombers were relentless—sending both teams into an intense showdown at the end of the quarter, 39-45.
Hoping to regain their footing after the halftime break, Mowell Morales, Justine Sanchez, and Ian Torres were determined to put an end to their opponents’ offensive momentum, keeping the Taft spirit in the hunt. However, JRU found openings in every attempt made by Benilde to widen the gap. Mangubat remained a constant threat on the offensive end, while Eligado stood firm with support. The Blazers struggled to ease the Heavy Bombers, entering the final quarter with a 10-point deficit, 59-69.
With little to no time left, the Blazers launched a furious comeback, refusing to let the Heavy Bombers become top seed of their group. Benilde turned the pressure, attempting to close the score at 78-81 in the final two minutes. However, Mangubat responded with a crucial basket before converting his free throws to keep the Taft squad at bay. Despite the Blazers’ late game heroics and determination, they suffered a heavy setback, 79-85.
The Blazers aim for a comeback in a pivotal game against defending champions San Beda University (SBU) Red Lions on Nov. 10 at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City, with a live telecast on One Sports on YouTube, PilipinasLIVE on CignalPlay and NCAA NXT on Cignal TV.
Box Scores:
DLS-CSB (79): Morales 16, Sanchez 13, Moore, Torres 8, Cajacom 7, Ancheta 6, Liwag 6, Celis 6, Lorenzo 3, Podador 3, Galas 2, Jucom 0
JRU (85): Mangubat 27, Salvador 16, Elgado 16, Laurenaria 9, Palis 6, Masigla 5, Penaverde 4, Garupil 2, Agmenyi 0, Panapanaan 0
Quarter Scores: 23-20, 39-45, 59-69, 79-85
