Bulldogs chalk up one other upset to muddle chase for No. 4

NU Bulldogs’ Jake Figueroa throughout a UAAP Season 87 males’s basketball recreation towards UST Growling Tigers. –UAAP PHOTO

The Nationwide College (NU) Bulldogs did their speaking on the court docket. Coach Jeff Napa did his off of it after that to ensure they drove house their level.

“No. 1, for individuals who don’t imagine that we defeated UP, that is the follow-up to that,” Napa mentioned after the Bulldogs introduced down one other favourite in College of Santo Tomas (UST), 67-62, in males’s basketball motion of UAAP Season 87 at Mall of Asia Enviornment Wednesday evening.

Article continues after this commercial

“That wasn’t luck, okay? UP wasn’t unfortunate, [it’s just that] we performed the precise approach. So simple as that,” added Napa in Filipino, visibly irked that his prices didn’t get the credit score they deserved after dealing the Preventing Maroons a 20-point beating final week after they snapped a six-game dropping streak.

“We performed the precise approach once more and defeated UST. It’s so simple as that,” he mentioned. ”I’m simply irritated as a result of the efforts of the gamers are getting disregarded. You’ll be able to see the efforts of the gamers [every game].”

Napa talked with a lot pleasure after the sport, for not solely was he capable of shove it up the crew’s critics, the Bulldogs are abruptly again within the hunt for an unbelievable seat within the Ultimate 4.

Article continues after this commercial

With the ends in the final three playdates, solely No. 1 La Salle and second-running UP are assured of Ultimate 4 slots, with the Archers having the prospect to seal No. 1 with a victory over the Preventing Maroons on Saturday.

College of the East is working third at 6-5 and the Growling Tigers fourth at 5-7. Adamson is at fifth in the meanwhile at 4-7 with Far Japanese and Nationwide U holding 4-8 information. Ateneo is on the tail finish of the pack at 3-8.

UE has inside monitor

The Warriors can declare No. 3 with a win over the Tigers additionally on Saturday and in that case, with Santo Tomas nonetheless not getting a sixth win, the Hovering Falcons, Bulldogs, Tamaraws and even the Blue Eagles can catch as much as create a five-team tie for No. 4 that will likely be damaged through a stepladder playoffs.

It’s a far-fetched, but attainable, state of affairs however the Bulldogs are basking of their rediscovered brilliance.

“We have been affected by the doubters a bit of,” Jolo Manansala, who led NU with 18 factors and 7 rebounds, mentioned. “However we simply ignored them. [For us], a win is a win.”

“It feels good to defeat stronger groups, the large boys,” Jake Figueroa mentioned after scoring 13 factors and flattening 11 rebounds. “We wish to relive the time once we have been additionally one of many massive boys.”