Bulldogs tame Tigers

National University proved that its previous upset win was no fluke after bringing down University of Santo Tomas in a come-from-behind 67-62 shocker to remain in the Final Four hunt in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 men’s basketball tournament Wednesday night at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Bulldogs, clinging by a nail in their semis hopes, limited the Growling Tigers to just seven points in the fourth quarter on their way to their first back-to-back wins of the season for a 4-8 win-loss record.

“Number one, to those who doubted our win over UP, this is our follow up. Our victory over UP is no fluke. UP didn’t have a bad game rather we played the right way, it’s that simple,” said head coach Jeff Napa pertaining to NU’s 67-47 rout of second-running Fighting Maroons.

“Now we defeated UST, we played the right way, that simple,” he added.

Jolo Manansala scored 18 points on 6-of-9 field goal shooting and grabbed seven rebounds while PJ Palacielo added 15 markers for the Bulldogs. Jake Figueroa added 13 points.

NU used a 17-3 blitz to erase an eight-point deficit entering the payoff period to a 64-58 advantage with 4:37 remaining with Figueroa hitting a triple followed by a two-handed breakaway slamdunk to cap the run and give the Bulldogs the cushion.

The Tigers cut their deficit to two, 64-62 with 2:28 left but missed a chance to retake the lead after three straight sorry misses by Nick Cabanero, Mo Tounkara and Christian Manaytay on a fastbreak.

After Reinhard Jumamoy split his charities Cabanero and Tounkara bricked their attempts before Gelo Santiago sealed the Bulldogs’ win from the foul line.

UST slipped to a 5-7 slate at solo fourth spot.

Cabanero got 19 points while Tounkara had 15 markers for the Tigers.

The scores: 

NU (67) --- Manansala 18, Palacielo 15, Figueroa 13, Enriquez 6, Santiago 4, Jumamoy 4, Garcia 2, Padrones 2, Francisco 2, Tulabut 1, Lim 0, Yu 0, Parks 0, Perciano 0.     

UST (62) --- Cabañero 19, Tounkara 15, Paranada 8, Manaytay 6, Padrigao 3, Danting 3, Crisostomo 0, Llemit 0, Lane 0, Estacio 0, Pangilinan 0, Robinson 0.     

Quarters: 19-12, 34-36, 47-55, 67-62