Lessons learned and moving on: One year after JRU-Benilde incident

On Tuesday, Jose Rizal University and De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde will face off for their second round matchup in NCAA Season 99.

This comes one day before the first anniversary of the unfortunate incident between the Heavy Bombers and the Blazers in last season's tournament.

To recap briefly, the Taft-based squad was leading 71-51 with about three minutes remaining when then-JRU player John Amores charged and threw punches at several players on the Blazers side. The game was stopped and penalties were handed to players involved, including an indefinite suspension for Amores.

Later in the season, the Blazers entered the NCAA Final Four for the first time in almost two decades, though they fell to the defending champion Letran Knights.

A year later, many have moved on and learned lessons from the November 8 incident.

"I think we just try to brush off that incident as much as possible. We try not to think about it. It was an ugly event that happened but for the most part, I think we've moved on. I'm happy that Amores made it to the PBA, got signed to a contract," Benilde head coach Charles Tiu said.

The two teams find themselves across from each other again with both in contention for a Final Four slot. Benilde (8-4) is tied with San Beda in third and fourth places while JRU is right behind them at 8-5.

"We just focus right now on the season. Obviously, JRU has always been a tough matchup for us," Tiu added.

"Now, they're the host school, they're the better team. They're playing a different brand of basketball. We just try to focus on this year and focus on what we can control and find a way to beat them."

This sentiment was echoed by JRU head coach Louie Gonzales, who said he would rather focus more on the upcoming game.

"Ang target ko going up against Benilde is kailangan maging better kami para sa tiebreaker," Gonzales said. "I feel na the way the games are going, parang tiebreakers until the end eh so importante ang resulta ng laro."

("My target going up against Benilde is we need to be better so we can win the tiebreaker. I feel like that way the games are going, it will be tiebreakers until the end so the result of this game is important.")

During their first round matchup, the Blazers won against the Heavy Bombers in an OT thriller, 93-85.

"Sa amin, it's not because we're facing Benilde. Magiging exciting lang siguro dahil naging maingay na 'yung istorya pero expect that 'yung players ko will come out strong. Hindi lang because we wanted to bounce back. We wanted na hanggang kontrolado pa namin ang mga bagay and kaya pa namin ilaban ang season namin, ibibigay namin lahat," he added.

("For us, it's not because we're facing Benilde. The game will be exciting because the story will have buzz but expect that my players will come out strong. Not just because we want to bounce back. We want to give our all while we still have control over things and we can still fight for our season.")

John Amores and adversity

For the player at the center of it all, however, Amores still has a challenging path ahead.

After the incident, his name became well-known, but not for the best reasons.

Amores bounced around different teams and leagues after his NCAA stint, finding spots with the Zamboanga Valientes in the ASEAN Basketball League and the Muntinlupa Cagers in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League. And he admitted that during this time, he didn't know if any team would give him a chance.

"Mahirap talaga, sa nangyari sa 'kin. Di ko naman alam na may kukuha pa sa akin na team noon. Sobrang hirap ng pinagdaanan ko noon. Di ko alam saan pa ako kukuha ng lakas ng loob. Ginawa ko lang, nag-pray lang ako, nagtiwala ako kay Lord. Yung sarili ko, inano ko na sa Kanya kung saan ako dadalhin."

("It was really difficult, what I went through then. I didn't know if any team would take me during that time. What I went through was really hard. I didn't know where I would find the strength. I just prayed and trusted the Lord. I entrusted myself to Him and where He would take me.")

But Amores applied for the recent PBA Draft and was selected in the fifth round by the NorthPort Batang Pier. He is now set for his PBA debut on November 10 against the Terrafirma Dyip, and is happy for the opportunity to turn the page in his basketball career.

"Excited ako kasi ito 'yung pinakahihintay ko. Ito na 'yung pinapangarap ko — PBA," he said.

"Masaya lang ako kasi ito na 'yung [bagong] chapter ng buhay ko na ito na 'yung magiging work ko, dito na ako mas magfo-focus."

"Future ko na 'to eh. Trabaho na ang pinag-uusapan dito. Kailangan ko panghawakan to. Ayoko sayangin yung bawat pagkakataon," he said.

("I'm excited because this is what I've been waiting for, this is my dream — the PBA... I'm happy because this is a new chapter for me, this is my work, so I will focus on this... This is my future. This is work we are talking about. I need to hold onto this. I don't want to waste any opportunity.")

Amores said he learned a lot of lessons from the past year and this is something he will bring to the PBA. And while the past year was tough for him, the former Heavy Bomber is just grateful for where he is now.

"After a year naman, sobrang laki ng pinagbago compared nung nakaraan kasi ang laki talaga. Sobrang di ko ineexpect na darating ako sa point na ang laki ng pinagbago ko, sobrang laki ng nabago sa akin. Thankful ako kay Lord na nandito ako sa sitwasyon na 'to," Amores said.

("After a year, I've changed so much compared to the past. I didn't expect to reach this point where I've changed so much. I'm thankful to the Lord that I'm here in this situation.")

—JMB, GMA Integrated News