FOR National University to go deep in its campaign this season, the Bulldogs should learn to beat what coach Jeff Napa described as “big teams.”
Napa’s charges responded to his challenge yesterday.
Showing they wanted it more NU outlasted La Salle 80-77 in overtime for its second straight win and gained solo second in the 86th UAAP basketball tournament at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Guard Patrick Yu played the hero’s role for the Bulldogs, scoring five straight points on two banked shots to give NU a 74-69 cushion with less than two minutes left in OT.
Jake Figueroa and Kean Baclaan canned their free throws, while Donn Lim’s layup pegged a 79-74 count for NU in the final 6.0 ticks that proved to be enough even after an Evan Nelle three-pointer.
Figueroa shone for the Bulldogs with 15 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists, while Jolo Manansala chipped in 13 markers and four boards.
Yu also had 12, while Senegalese center Omar John added 10 and four for NU, which scored a big follow up to an 87-69 rout of hapless University of Santo Tomas last Wednesday and rose to 4-1.
The Green Archers came off a 71-58 whipping of Adamson University five nights back and dropped to 3-2.
Later, the Soaring Falcons turned back the hard-fighting University of the East Red Warriors 72-65 to get back on track.
“Ang pakialam ko, especially the players, is how they perform. Lalo na when we lost to UP, iyon ang pinaka-concern ko kasi coming to opponents na big teams, we have to be competitive,” Napa said. “Ang A-Game namin and the usual approach, kailangan lumabas para ma-turnaround kung anoman ang sitwasyon na gusto namin.
“So, nakatsamba. Nakatsamba kami kasi given La Salle is a very strong team talaga. Good thing, pushed to the limits (at) hindi bumitaw ang mga bata. It’s a total team effort.
Everybody stepped up. Everybody stepped up to the challenge na ibinigay ko sa kanila. At least makakahinga na ako ngayon,” he added.
Hardworking forward Cedrick Manzano pumped in 13 points, five rebounds, and two assists for Adamson, while Matthew Montebon drained both his triple tries and finished with 13 markers.
Matt Erolon also had 10 and two for the Falcons, who rose to 3-2 in a tie with La Salle.
