Steve Nash Enriquez, NU battle for survival in knockout Final Four battle vs La Salle

National University aims to restore order and keep its UAAP Season 88 title bid alive as the Bulldogs battle De La Salle University in a knockout Final Four duel on Saturday, December 6, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

After topping the eliminations and holding a perfect slate against La Salle before last Wednesday, NU now finds itself in unfamiliar territory, needing a bounce-back win to preserve its Finals hopes. 

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The Bulldogs absorbed an 87–77 loss in Game 1, a rare off-night that exposed the cracks in their execution and depth.

For NU to reclaim control, Steve Nash Enriquez will need to set the tone. Ordinarily one of the Bulldogs’ most steady and aggressive backcourt engines, Enriquez was limited in the opener, and NU will look to him for pace, leadership, and timely scoring to prevent La Salle from dictating tempo again.

While Jake Figueroa and Omar John carried the scoring load in Game 1, NU struggled to generate consistent support from the rest of the lineup.

Contributions from Jolo Manansala, Reinhard Jumamoy, Mark Parks, Gelo Santiago, and PJ Palacielo will be vital, especially against a La Salle squad that attacked in waves and drew big performances from its second unit.

Despite the setback, the Bulldogs remain confident. They dominated much of Season 88 and are determined not to let one loss derail months of collective work. 

NU knows it has the tools, system, and experience to mount a response.

With a Finals berth at stake and pressure mounting on both ends, the Bulldogs hope to rediscover its top-seed form and rewrite Wednesday’s script in the most important game of its season.

(With reports from Kiko Demigillo)

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[Editor’s note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]