SAFE to say, no one expected National University to make this deep run in the PlayTime Cares FiloilEcoOil 18th Preseason Cup presented by ABC Tile Adhesive.
After all, the combination of the Bulldogs missing out the Final Four last season, the sudden departure of two of their prized rookies from the Bullpups program, and a 0-2 start in the premier preseason league already casted doubts on the capabilities of the Jhocson crew.
But through it all, coach Jeff Napa told his players to stay the course and trust the system.
“We just played our game. Kung anoyungpilosopiyanamin, yunangginawanamin. So the direction sa players is to just concentrate on our system,” he said.
True enough, that belief kept this NU team together and made it more tightknit than ever.
And more importantly, it put it a win away from winning the preseason crown in this tilt which has PlayTime Cares, Filoil, EcoOil, Hanes, Bostik El Heneral, Jiang Nan Hotpot, Lamtex Pipes, Smart, and PusoPilipinas as major sponsors, Spalding as official game ball, and Harbor Star, Wallem, Akari, BDO, Tela.com Athletics, Nature’s Spring, Reyes Barbecue, and Brothers Burger as minor sponsors.
Napa acknowledged the distractions that came the Bulldogs way rocked the team to its core, but they chose to focus more on what mattered: those who stayed, those who continued to fight, and those who continue to believe.
“Walanamanakongpakialamkahitanongmangyari. Kung anoyungnandyansaamin, yan angkailanganpaghandaan. Hindi konainiintindi kung ano man yungnangyari whatsoever. Lagilangkaming move forward,” he said.
“Thankful langako at mga players sa mga naniniwala, sa community, sa mga boss namin, si sir Manny Sy who is always here to support, nakahitanongmangyari, di kami pinapabayaan.”
And after a gutsy 96-84 semifinals win over University of Santo Tomas, only the University of the Philippines stands in NU’s way of regaining the trophy it last won back in 2022.
Whatever their finish is in the tournament, though, Napa said that this campaign allowed the Bulldogs to rediscover themselves as they gear up for a tougher UAAP Season 88.
“This preseason is more on us, yung preparation namintalaga,” he said. “Namo-motivate laloyung players namin and it makes us want to play better.”
“Perosimula pa langito at mahaba pa ang preparation. Kailanganlang naming maging ready sa kung anomanglabannadarating.”
