Paniamogan to prove PBA worthiness as Bombers take on Generals

MANILA, Philippines – Jose Rizal's Philip Paniamogan was left undrafted in last Sunday's PBA rookie draft despite being one of the league's best scorers.

So when the Bombers clash with the Emilio Aguinaldo Generals in Friday's second round game in the 90th NCAA basketball tournament at The Arena in San Juan City, Paniamogan will try to prove everybody wrong.

"I'm just going out there to play and help the team in whatever way I can," said Paniamogan in Filipino.

A proud son of Cagayan de Oro City, Paniamogan is the Bombers' leading scorer by averaging 18.80 points a game, which is only second to Perpetual Help's Juneric Baloria, who normed 20.91 an outing.

While his total field goal percentage of 34 percent is much to be desired, Paniamogan is deadly in the perimeter as he is shooting 34 percent from beyond the arc and 84 percent from the foul line.

Paniamogan, in fact, finished runner up to St. Benilde's Fil-Am Travis Jonson in the NCAA All-Star's three-point shootout a couple of weeks ago.

He is expecting to come out firing as Jose Rizal shoots to regain its share of third place with Perpetual Help and St. Benilde by battling an unpredictable Emilio Aguinaldo, which currently has a 3-7 (win-loss) slate, at 2 p.m.

Jose Rizal coach Vergel Meneses has high expectations on Paniamogan though.

"Our mains strength is our defense. But when we need scoring, we rely on him (Paniamogan)," said Meneses.

Meanwhile, San Sebastian (3-8) and Mapua (1-10) aim to breathe some life to their sagging Final Four campaigns as the two clash at 4 p.m.