BY John Miles Arcenal
AFTER another humbling loss to longtime tormentor University of the Philippines, National U’s pair of Cebuano imports found strength not just in their system, but in each other as well.
For Steve Nash Enriquez, the sting of that game lingered where his shots wouldn’t fall, and the Bulldogs’ usually composed offense fell flat en route to a 74-78 defeat to open Round 2.
Meanwhile, fellow Bisaya playmaker Reinhard Jumamoy could only watch from the sidelines, nursing a shoulder contusion from their duel with Ateneo to end the first round.
But as they returned to the court last Sunday, everything changed, everything clicked.
NU responded with a statement 66–50 victory vs. the Blue Eagles - a bounce-back anchored on the tandem hailing from the Queen City of the South which orchestrated the fluid flow of the offense.
“Si Reinhard, siyempre, parang kapatid ko na kasi parehas kaming taga-Cebu. Palagi siyang nandiyan para sa teammates and it’s just a brother thing. Nandun kami para sa isa’t-isa palagi,” co-captain Enriquez told SPIN.ph.
That brotherhood has been the quiet yet efficient engine behind blue-and-gold's resurgence this season - a return that has them standing alone atop the leaderboard of the ultracompetitive playoff race.
Jumamoy, once known for triple-doubles in NU-Nazareth School, has grown into a poised floor general under coach Jeff Napa’s system.
Enriquez, meanwhile, has embraced the role of veteran leader, steadying the ship in tight moments and mentoring Jhocson's next wave of guards in Jumamoy, as well as fellow blue-chip recruit Tebol Garcia.
“Sinabi ko lang sa kanya na hindi magiging madali lahat,” Enriquez said of guiding Jumamoy through his first seasons in the seniors’ ranks.
“Darating din naman yung oras mo. ‘Yung pagiging patient, disiplina, at sakripisyo, ibibigay naman ni Lord yung deserve mo.”
Cebuanos see it through
Indeed, slowly but surely, that patience has been paying off.
Against Ateneo, Jumamoy and Enriquez played with renewed confidence, anchoring NU’s defense and controlling the game’s tempo, with the former finishing with eight points, three rebounds, and two assists, as the latter chipped in eight markers and one steal.
Jumamoy, for his part, just made sure to lift his kuya’s spirits when the going was getting tough.
As he put it, “Sinabi ko sa kanya na Bisaya, 'Tayo, tayo magtutulungan. Huwag ka mawalan ng confidence kasi ikaw yung nilu-look up namin. Kailangan ka namin.'”
“Alam naman natin na may dugong Bisaya tayo, kaya maging composed lang tayo,” he added.
The last time the Bulldogs hoisted the trophy back in 2014, they did so behind a core featuring several unheralded names from outside Metro Manila such as Troy Rosario (Cagayan Valley), Glenn Khobuntin (Cagayan de Oro), Kyle Neypes (Pangasinan), and Pao Javelona (Bacolod).
Don't look now, but these present pacesetters may very well have the same recipe for success with Pampanga's Jake Figueroa and Jolo Manansala and of course, Cebu's Enriquez and Jumamoy.
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