JEFF Napa and the NU Bulldogs have been dealt quite the ordeal after a season-long tug-of-war with the UP Maroons for the top seed.
Come the UAAP Season 86 men's basketball Final Four on Saturday, NU will enter as the third-seed for the second year running and has to beat La Salle twice for its first finals berth since 2014 — the Bulldogs' last title run in which University of the East was also the season host.
Napa, however, thinks his NU squad is capable of 'doing the impossible.'
READ: Rampant UP Maroons claim top seed after blowout win over NU Bulldogs
"Very frustrating yung last two stretch ng games namin that didn't favor us (versus Adamson and UP). It's my fault, it's my responsiblity. I take full responsiblity sa dalawa na yun. We need to move forward and we need to prepare against La Salle on Saturday.
"Hopefully talagang maging healthy na talaga mga players ko para at least maging maganda rin yung magiging laban. Kasi the result, madali na yung result eh. Ang pep talk ko sa kanila, 'do the impossible thing' and will see kung ano yung result come Saturday (versus La Salle)," said Napa.
Napa's ace guard Steve Nash Enriquez (jaw) and Kenshin Padrones (cheek) have been the Bulldogs' key absentees in the prelims, and doubts still remain on their fitness to play come the Final Four.
"Actually si Nash (Enriquez), medyo hindi pa (okay) 'yun talaga. Kita niyo naman, medyo maga pa yung pisngi. He tried his best pero may impact pa rin talaga 'yung (injury), even Kenshin (Padrones).
"Pero ayokong mag-dwell sa kung ano man yung nangyari sa amin na 'yun. Ayoko ring sisihin kung ano yung nangyari sa'min talaga. It all boils down pa rin kung ano yung performance namin sa game," Napa said.
No longer the gate-crashers
Embattled with a similar twice-to-win setback, NU's Final Four appearance in Season 85 was short-lived after losing its one and only semis match against then-No. 2 seed UP.
This year, Napa believes that the Bulldogs won't be in the Final Four just to 'crash the party' but to compete at the highest level.
"Kumbaga last year, para kaming gatecrasher. Right now, hindi naman kami gatecrasher, talagang prinove namin na nandun kami sa taas. 'Yun nga lang hindi napunta sa'min 'yung magandang sitwasyon dito sa dulo (ng elimination round).
"Pero ganun pa rin 'yung approach, ganun pa rin yung magiging mindset namin. Ssinabi ko sa kanila na if you want to be contenders, kailangan 'yung performance is much higher than your previous performances," said Napa.
"Ako rin, kailangan itaas ko rin yung level ng thinking ko rin. 'Yun 'yung hinahanap ko na quality sa mga players ko. Hopefully, makita ko talaga.
"Gaya ng mga guards ko, medyo bata eh, so minsan may mga pagkakamali talaga, lumalabas yung pagkakamali. 'Yun 'yung challenge ko. hindi lang sa guards but to everybody (na itaas 'yung level ng laro)," he added.
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