More than keeping its Final Four hopes alive, National University (NU) takes its win over University of Santo Tomas (UST) as a strong statement to those who doubted its upset over second-running University of the Philippines in the previous outing.
Bulldogs head coach Jeff Napa did not hold back in saying he felt slighted by comments that his squad “got lucky” beating the Fighting Maroons last Sunday in what could be the biggest shocker in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 men’s basketball tournament.
“They’ve been dismissing NU, putting us down. But we’re also playing in the UAAP. We’re at the bottom but it doesn’t mean we’re supposed to lose all the time,” Napa said in a fiery tone after the Bulldogs’ 67-62 victory over the Tigers Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
NU scored its first back-to-back wins of the season following a 67-47 humbling of the mighty star-studded UP to improve to a 4-8 win-loss record tied with Far Eastern University at sixth to seventh.
“We had the same game plan against UST. Just go out and compete. Whatever the result. At least there will be no regrets,” Napa said.
“Just like in our game with UP which was no fluke by the way. The kids worked hard for that win.”
Napa also took a swipe at those saying that the Bulldogs just caught the Fighting Maroons on a bad day.
“For those saying UP just had a bad day when we beat them, this is our answer. It’s another ‘W’ right? A win for us. Mamatay na kayo sa inggit. Just that simple,” he said.
“So, for your information, hindi tsamba ‘yung ginawa namin. We won two straight. It’s just irritating that they’re taking away the credit of hard work and effort of our players.”
NU has struggled to keep up with the competition despite being tagged as a Final Four favorite.
It didn’t help that the Bulldogs lost foreign student-athlete Mo Diassana to a season-ending left knee injury just four minutes in on the opening quarter of their first game, leaving a huge hole in the middle.
“There’s a reason why we’re losing. We also lost an import. Who wouldn’t find it difficult to compete in the UAAP without an import?” Napa said.
The Bulldogs’ chances of advancing into the next round are slim.