Sean Salvador detonated six triples en route to a career-high 24 points as the super rookie lifted the young JRU squad to a 69-66 win against their first-round tormentors EAC.

The Heavy Bombers benefitted big time from Salvador’s hot shooting from tip to whistle, capped by a booming fly-by trey in the dying seconds of the fourth that put JRU ahead by two points with only 37.6 ticks on the clock. 

Salvador, Season 101’s league-leader in threes, also hauled in seven rebounds, two assists, and a steal. 

But the credit in the clutch goes to the effortful squad of Coach Nani Epondulan who pulled down a string of crucial stops in the endgame: Allan Laurenaria’s dive to the basket that trimmed EAC’s lead to 63-61 with 1:47 remaining; Stephen Garupil’s top-of-the-key three that got them to within a point, 64-65; and Laurenaria’s game-saving block on Jude Bagay’s turnaround jumper which prefaced Salvador’s heroics. 

The JRU victory spoiled what would’ve been EAC guard Kyle Ochavo’s best outing so far in Season 101, scattering a hyper-efficient 19 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals (with 0 turnovers) on 5-for-8 field goal shooting. The 5-foot-5 guard from Cebu also drained four triples as he was seen in a highly emotional state after the loss.

Wilmar Oftana also dealt heavy damage from beyond the arc, scoring all of his 12 points from four conversions from long distance. 

Following the win, the Heavy Bombers eclipsed the 0.500 mark for a 6-5 record as they maintain their hold of the fourth spot, while EAC falls to 4-6 good for last seed in Group B.