By CARLO ANOLIN
Agem Miranda and John Amores sank clutch baskets down the stretch to help lift Jose Rizal University past Emilio Aguinaldo College, 61-60, in the second round of the NCAA Season 98 men’s basketball tournament Friday, Nov. 4, at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan City.
Miranda and Amores scored back-to-back baskets in the waning seconds of the game, enabling the Heavy Bombers to snap their three-game skid and improve to a 6-5 record.
JRU also fended the late-game scare of EAC, which clawed its way back with a searing 16-0 run to even lead by four points with 10 seconds remaining, 60-57.
But Amores fired a crucial three-pointer from the left wing with 4.9 seconds left in the payoff period to make it one-possession game with JRU still trailing by a point, 60-59.
Mac Balowa, on the other end, fired blanks from the free throw line which could have finally sealed the deal for the Generals before the last inbound play was executed.
Off a long inbound pass from John Delos Santos, Miranda, who finished with 12 points and 11 rebounds, caught the ball inside the paint and sank a one-hander fadeaway jumper to beat the buzzer just in time and completely avert a second-half meltdown. Ry Dela Rosa also spearheaded JRU alongside Miranda with 12 points and three assists, Jason Celis had 10 points and three rebounds, while William Sy put up significant contributions on both ends of the floor with nine points, four rebounds, and five assists.
Nat Cosejo paced the Generals, who sustained their fourth-straight loss with a 1-13 slate, with 16 points and 13 rebounds.
The scores:
JRU 61 ˗ Miranda 12, Dela Rosa 12, Celis 10, Sy 9, Amores 5, Arenal 3, Dionisio 2, Delos Santos 2, Guiab 2, Medina 2, Tan 2, De Jesus 0, Abaoag 0, Gonzales 0.
EAC 60 ˗ Cosejo 16, Maguliano 15, Liwag 5, Ad. Doria 5, Balowa 4, Luciano 4, Dominguez 4, Tolentino 4, Angeles 2, Quinal 1, An. Doria 0, Cosa 0.
Quarters: 16-12, 31-27, 51-41, 61-60.
