NCAA: Chris Hubilla drops 26-12 double-double as JRU turns back EAC

Chris Hubilla turned in his best game of the year so far, helping Jose Rizal University overcome an early deficit to hack out an 84-74 win over Emilio Aguinaldo College in the NCAA Season 102 on Monday at the FilOil EcoOil Centre.

Hubilla delivered a dominant double-double of 26 points and 12 rebounds, along with three assists, two steals, and one block, as the Heavy Bombers notched their fourth straight win to improve to 6-1 and draw level with Benilde atop Group A.

Hubilla got plenty of help from the rest of the squad with Lawrence Mangubat churning out 15 points and seven rebounds, Sean Salvador dropping 11 markers, and Stephen Garupil firing three triples to finish with nine points.

“Well, I give credit to EAC because of their defense, which forced us to struggle in the first half. What happened in the first half was there were a lot of open shots but we could not convert,” JRU head coach Nani Epondulan said.

“Luckily in the second half, Stephen Garupil and Sean Salvador hit their wide-open three-pointers in the second half, stretching the floor for Hubilla and Mangubat.”

JRU had to overcome an early double-digit deficit with EJ Castillo bringing the Generals to a 39-29 lead late in the second period. And the Heavy Bombers had to dig deep in the second half to fight their way back.

Garupil answered that call, firing all of his three triples in the third period, the last of which sent JRU to a 58-48 cushion as the league-leading Heavy Bombers had started to turn things around.

Hubilla and Mangubat finished the job in the fourth period. Hubilla completed a three-point play for a 71-60 lead before Magubat sank a tough floater that made it a 76-65 advantage in the final 2:33.

Hubilla then scored six of the last eight points for JRU, which has now seized its fourth win in a row since absorbing a 65-62 loss to defending champion San Beda University.

—JMB, GMA News