Jose Rizal University has gone sick and tired of being called a cellar-dweller that team captain Ry de la Rosa feels that the squad is determined to get rid of its losing ways in Season 98 of the National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball tournament.

In Season 97, the Heavy Bombers only won one game in nine outings, placing them dead-last in the 10-team tournament.

They only won against College of Saint Benilde, 74-68, last April at La Salle Green Hills.

When the season gets under way on 10 September, JRU is eager to show what it is made of.

"I think we are eager to go out there and prove to others and to ourselves that we're a team that can contend and we're here to compete against the best in the NCAA," De la Rosa said.

"It helps in our preparation to play in preseason tournaments because last year, we really never had a chance to play tuneups or play against other teams to see where we at. It was one of those things you can't control because of the pandemic."

JRU participated in the FilOil EcoOil Preseason Cup, Milcu and in the Universities and Colleges Basketball League Pre-Season Tournament in the offseason.

The core from Season 97, led by Jason Celis and JL de los Santos, and will be joined by newcomers Jonathan Medina and MJ Joson.