NATIONAL University may have settled for a runner-up finish in the Playtime Cares Filoil Preseason Cup after falling to University of the Philippines, 79-65, last Sunday but the fact that they even got there is an achievement in itself.
No one had the Bulldogs playing the Fighting Maroons in the finals, especially after finishing the elimination round with a 3-3 record, just enough to cling onto the fourth place of the UAAP bracket.
But an awe-inspiring run for the Bulldogs in the playoffs got them there. It all started with a thrilling 79-77 win over NCAA top-seed Letran in the quarterfinals, before turning heads in the semifinals when they outed UAAP rival University of Santo Tomas, 96-84.
“There's no one expecting na nandito kami sa championship [game],” said head coach Jeff Napa.
“Eh, siguro, nung last crucial stretch, na medyo inayos namin, naayos namin konti,” he added.
But that doesn’t mean that they have little expectations among themselves. Quite the opposite. In fact, Napa is one of the most demanding coaches out there – particularly when it comes to his veterans.
“Lagi naman mataas yung expectation ko, yung demand ko sa players ko talaga. Ever since, yun ang dinidemand ko sa kanila. So, mataas ang expectation,” Napa said.
“Kasi na-expect ko may mag-step up ko talaga. So kahit papano, yun yung hinahanap ko kanina,” the 43-year-old head tactician “Maging leader para doon sa maturity ng team talaga.”
Copy that, coach Jeff
Jake Figueroa, one of their leaders, heard his coach loud and clear.
Now in his last playing year alongside Steve Nash Enriquez and Jolo Manansala, Figueroa knows that while he’s emerged as one of the best players in the UAAP today – he’s proven nothing yet for his alma mater.
That’s one thing that he's keeping in his
“Sa 5 years namin nila Nash [Enriquez], parang wala pa kaming napatunayan,” Figueroa told SPIN.ph.
“So, doble kayod pa, doble sipag pa.”
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