The NU Bulldogs bucked a La Salle run in the fourth quarter to keep themselves at pole position in the standings of UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball.
NU’s intangibles proved to be the difference as the Bulldogs repulsed the DLSU Green Archers in a competitive UAAP Season 88 second round matchup, 75-67, at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday.
The Bulldogs, who improved their record to 8-2 to create distance from first place, saw a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter diminish, with momentum swinging to La Salle’s side.
Making things happen on both ends of the court to hold on for the win, head coach Jeff Napa lauded his team for keeping themselves grounded, even as the arena rocked with La Salle supporters rallying for the comeback.
[RELATED: NU staves off La Salle to keep top spot in UAAP Season 88 standings]
“Di naman namin iniintindi yan,” Napa said of the standings.
“It's about how we perform every game talaga. It's how we put an effort every game [and] how we improve every game. Especially, kulang kami isang player. Good thing everybody step up sa absence ng isa,” he added.
Napa was alluding to Gelo Santiago, who served his first of his five-game suspension following a disqualifying foul in their last game against Ateneo.
In his stead, the likes of Steve Nash Enriquez and PJ Francisco stepped up to the plate, finishing with a combined 30 points on 10-of-12 shooting.
Enriquez and Francisco drilled clutch baskets in the fourth quarter, holding off the Green Archers who entered the matchup with a four-game win streak.
Enriquez, for his part, pushed NU’s lead to eight, 72-64, with 2:06 left to give the Bulldogs enough breathing room for the finish.
Meanwhile, Francisco converted on a four-point play midway through the fourth that stopped an 8-2 run from La Salle.
Omar John was tasked with defending La Salle’s Mike Phillips, which he did well on especially in the clutch. | Photo: The UAAP
Defense wins games
Apart from the scoring, Napa was also able to rely on his team on the defensive end — especially at center with Omar John leading the way.
John, who ended up with Player of the Game honors, was key in stopping La Salle’s offense late.
The big man was the one who stole the ball from Earl Abadam which led to Enriquez’ three-pointer, while also forcing key misses from La Salle’s Mike Phillips.
After the match, John spoke about the importance of standing their ground.
“I mean, I just stayed composed. Because I know they will fight back to stay in the game. So I have to double my effort to try to defend my match-up especially on Phillips because we all know how good he is,” said John.
John finished with 12 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals, and three blocks in the victory.
Enriquez had 16 points, while Francisco had 14 points on 4-of-4 shooting along with two rebounds, three assists, and three steals before fouling out late in the fourth quarter.
Jake Figueroa struggled offensively but chipped in on defense with five points, eight rebounds, six assists, six steals, and a block for the Bulldogs that are now winners of five of their last six games.
Jacob Cortez paced La Salle in their comeback effort with 16 points, four rebounds, and three assists. The loss dropped La Salle to 6-4.
The job’s not done for the Bulldogs, though, as they still need a few more results to go their way to seal a place in the Final Four — and more importantly, net themselves a twice-to-beat advantage.
NU faces Adamson next on Saturday at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
La Salle, meanwhile, faces rival Ateneo at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.
Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.