BLUE and gold have always belonged to Jose Rizal University in the NCAA.
But Lawrence Mangubat sees a different shade of blue and gold in this JRU team, one that takes him back to the Golden State Warriors’ 2015 champion team.
“Kung ide-describe ko ‘yung JRU, iko-compare ko siya sa Golden State nu’ng 2015. Small ball and pure shooters talaga, lalo na ‘yung pagiging mga shooter talaga. Parang Golden State,” Mangubat said.
READ: Jose Rizal bucks late Benilde rally to stay unbeaten in NCAA S102
The colors are one thing, but their historic winning DNA is another.
Golden State’s 2015 championship team was built on the revolutionary combination of Stephen Curry’s range, Klay Thompson’s shooting, Draymond Green’s versatility and Steve Kerr’s small-ball system.
The Warriors went 67-15, leaned heavily into pace and spacing, and turned their “Strength in Numbers” mantra into a title-winning identity. Curry and Thompson became the “Splash Brothers,” while Golden State’s depth meant opponents could never afford to focus on just one threat.
Mangubat sees JRU moving toward that same kind of identity.
The Heavy Bombers want to play small and surround their attack with shooters who can stretch defenses and punish rotations. It is a formula that still needs polishing, particularly from deep, but JRU showed signs of finding its offensive rhythm against Benilde.
The Heavy Bombers shot 40.4 percent from the field in their 73-69 victory over the Blazers, a sharp improvement from their 26 percent shooting against Mapua.
JRU, however, made just 16.7 percent of its 3-point attempts against Benilde after shooting 27.6 percent from beyond the arc against the Cardinals.
And if Golden State had Curry to ignite its offense, JRU has Mangubat finding his own rhythm.
The 22-year-old, 5-foot-10 guard is quietly putting together a tear of his own, scoring 22 points against Mapua despite shooting 33.3 percent from the field before following that with 20 points on 43.8 percent shooting against Benilde.
Mangubat may be too humble to call himself JRU’s Curry, but his recent production has made him the Heavy Bombers’ offensive spark, capable of creating his own shot and giving the team a reliable scoring option when it needs one.
His influence, however, is not limited to scoring.
Mangubat has embraced the responsibility of guiding his teammates, particularly in practice, where he believes JRU’s identity has to be built before it can be displayed on game day.
“Lagi mo lang i-guide yung mga teammate mo. Sinasabi naman sa'kin ng mga coaches na lagi kong i-guide at sasabihan ko sila nang maayos kung anong mga dapat nating gawin, dapat nating itama lalo na sa mga practices namin, sa drills.”
For him, that means treating even the simplest repetitions as part of the bigger picture.
“Lagi ko silang sinasabihan na kahit sa simple na mga drills, kailangan nating magbuti pa rin. Kailangan naming ibigay ang hundred percent kahit sa practices lang.”
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That collective approach was central to the Warriors’ 2015 success. Curry and Thompson supplied the fireworks, but Green, Andre Iguodala, Harrison Barnes, Shaun Livingston and the rest of the rotation made Golden State difficult to defend because there was always another player capable of making the right play.
JRU is still developing its own version of that depth and balance. But Mangubat’s comparison speaks to what the Heavy Bombers believe they can become: a small, quick and shooting-oriented team where one player’s hot hand creates opportunities for everyone else.
More than the shooting, though, Mangubat wants JRU to channel the same championship hunger. The Heavy Bombers are carrying a 54-year NCAA title drought, with their last league championship coming in 1972, long before any of the current players were born.
Golden State had its own lengthy wait in 2015, ending a 40-year championship drought before the Warriors could bring the trophy back to the Bay Area.
For Mangubat, JRU now has a chance to write a similar breakthrough chapter for the blue and gold.
"Ang goal ko lang talaga sa JRU, gusto ko lang ng championship," he said.
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