MANILA, Philippines - Jose Rizal University gave a first-hand demonstration of what it could do in its peak form when it fought defending champion and eventual winner NLEX in a fierce battle that went the full route before bowing out of the Aspirants’ Cup semifinals of the just-concluded PBA D-League.
From nowhere, the Air21-supported Heavy Bombers surprised everyone by making it to the quarterfinals after a slow start.
JRU then knocked off Big Chill to arrange a semis showdown with the Road Warriors, with the Bombers winning Game 2 to force a decider.
Despite falling short in eliminating NLEX, JRU bowed out with heads up in the fledging league.
Bombers coach Vergel Meneses was overly satisfied with his team’s performance, especially during the playoffs.
“Our thanks to Air21 management led by Lito Alvarez and to Alex Wang and Mandaluyong Mayor Benhur Abalos, and to all our fans and supporters,†said Meneses.
A big relevation for JRU is Dexter Maiquez.
Playing second fiddle to Calvin Abueva in his stint for San Sebastian, Maiquez showed the way for the Bombers with 14.2 points and 7.7 boards per game.
JRU standout Byron Villarias was also a major cog, especially during the semis, with his torrid outside shooting.
A nephew of former PBA star Bong Ravena, Villarias averaged 11.3 points and set a new D-League scoring record of 36 points in JRU’s 100-64 elimination round win over Fruitas.
Philip Paniamogan, another Bombers mainstay, also delivered twin digits with a 10.1-point clip in the season-opening tournament.
“Nobody had expected us to be in the playoffs but my players have overachieved expectations,†said Meneses. “We played with a lot of heart and that was the difference. They have matured in our short stint in the league.â€