NU beats UST, fuels Final Four bid with back to back wins
NU Bulldogs’ Jojo Manansala during a UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball game against UST Growling Tigers. –UAAP PHOTO
National University came up with another huge win in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament by slaying another top four team in University of Santo Tomas, 58-53, Wednesday night at Mall of Asia Arena.
Jolo Manansala connected on six of his nine attempts, four of which from beyond the arc, to finish with 18 points in addition to seven rebounds to help refuel the Bulldogs’ dying Final four hopes.
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SCHEDULE: UAAP Season 87 basketball
“It feels amazing to win again, especially after so many close games since the first round where we kept losing at the end,” Manansala said.
“We finally got to show how we truly play. Like Coach Jeff [Napa] said, it’s like we just lost something along the way, but now we’re grateful that we can finally show who we are,” he added, referring to Mo Diassana, who was injured in their first game.
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PJ Palacielo was another efficient figure with 15 points and six rebounds as Jake Figueroa added a double-double outing of 13 points and 11 rebounds other than his four assists.
NU Bulldogs’ Jake Figueroa during a UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball game against UST Growling Tigers. –UAAP PHOTO
“I’m thankful to Coach Jeff because I struggled a lot in the first half, but when I came in during the second half, he still trusted me. That helped build my confidence. Coach Jeff always tells us to keep moving forward, one game at a time, so let’s see how far we can go,” Figueroa said.
READ: UAAP: Against all odds, NU determined to finish season strong
After lingering at the bottom, NU is now tied with Far Eastern U with a 4-8 standing, with help of its back-to-back wins that started with a 67-47 upset of No. 2 crew University of the Philippines last Sunday.
“Actually, I’m proud of all my players because, even though we’re short-handed, they kept working hard until the end. They really put in the effort. We won against UP and now UST. We’re doing this for the community,” Coach Jeff Napa said.
Trailing 51-38, Figueroa and Manansala drained two consecutive triples to cut into UST’s lead, 55-47, at the end of the third quarter.
NU started the final quarter with a 7-0 run capped by a layup from Figueroa to cut UST’s lead to just a point. Palacielo, Manansala and Figueroa then took turns battering UST, which just scored seven in the last frame, with another 10-0 run.
With no shots falling UST and Reinhard Jumamoy’s split and Gelo Santiago two shots from the line, the Tigers were doomed to their seventh win in 12 games and put their Final Four bid in jeopardy.
Cabañero tallied 19 points while Mo Tounkara still had an outstanding performance with 15 points and 18 rebounds.
UST is in a vulnerable position when it battles No. 3 squad University of the East on Saturday as NU tries to keep its first winning streak running versus Adamson on Sunday, both at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
