UAAP Final Four: NU Bulldogs rise to the occasion as unlikely top-seed of Season 88

Heading into the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament, most previews named defending champions UP Fighting Maroons and the reloaded DLSU Green Archers as the teams likely to contend for the crown anew.

And even though NU performed well in the offseason, reaching the Finals in the FilOil EcoOil Preseason Tournament, there wasn’t too much fanfare when it came to the Bulldogs.

But after a slow Season 87 when they played practically all-Filipino, the Bulldogs entered Season 88 with a chip on their shoulder.

With Omar John returning to play for NU, the Bulldogs had a healthy and reliable foreign student-athlete, already making sure this season would be different from the last.

That, and along with the matured games of Jake Figueroa, Paul Francisco, Jolo Manansala, and Steve Nash Enriquez, NU head coach Jeff Napa had enough of a core to contend.

14 games later, that's exactly what the Bulldogs did, putting them in prime position for their first title run since winning it all in Season 77.

NU enters the Final Four as the no. 1 seed for the first time since Season 76, we take a look at how things transpired for the Bulldogs.

A Bulldog’s Bite

One of the pivotal parts of NU’s bid in UAAP Season 88 has been the resurgence of Bulldogs veteran Jake Figueroa.

Figueroa has been one of Napa’s stalwarts over the last few years, but his stats have seen an uptick when it mattered the most for the NU Bulldogs. At the end of the first round, Figueroa was even one of the front runners for the MVP award.

But even as his MVP bid took a hit in the second round, he was still consistently effective for NU.

At the end of eliminations, he was the Bulldogs’ leading scorer, averaging 13.93 points in 14 games played for NU. He also scattered the stat sheet with stuffing, norming 7.21 rebounds, 3.93 assists, 2.14 steals, and one block.

Perhaps most importantly, though, was that he was an overall +113 in efficiency, proving that the Bulldogs are just about unstoppable when he’s on the floor.

While it remains to be seen if Figueroa can keep things going when it matters most in the Final Four, he will be a focal point if the Bulldogs are to truly challenge for the championship.

Marooned at the top

Despite their position as the league leaders, NU have shown signs of weakness in its journey to an 11-3 finish in the elimination round.

Most glaring are the Bulldogs' two losses against defending champion UP.

Though they were able to put their best foot forward against the rest of the pack, sweeping all other assignments save for a 1-1 slate against UST, the Bulldogs have looked vulnerable against the champs.

[RELATED: UST Tigers get back at NU to clinch UAAP Final Four slot]

It has been a consistent trend this year, with the Fighting Maroons being the team to take down NU in the finals of preseason play.

But with NU-UP being a possible UAAP Finals matchup, coach Napa and the Bulldogs will need to solve the Fighting Maroons puzzle eventually.

Hunting the Hunters

But before any new showdowns with UP, the NU Bulldogs will first have their hands full against the equally-determined DLSU Green Archers.

After clinching their own Final Four spot on the last day of eliminations, La Salle is slowly but surely returning to full strength with Mason Amos and Kean Baclaan both in the late stages of recovering from injury.

With their twice-to-beat advantage, the Bulldogs will hope to stand on business against Jacob Cortez and the Green Archers.

Heading into their matchup with a dominant 2-0 record in eliminations, NU wants to catch the express train to the championship round.

NU faces La Salle on Wednesday, December 3, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in the curtain raiser for the men’s Final Four.

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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.