NATIONAL University is still dreaming to be seen as a legitimate contender this UAAP Season 87 men's basketball tournament.
But its performance on Saturday inside Araneta Coliseum, where it needed a late push to upend Far Eastern University, 62-60, was anything but legitimate contender-like.
Nonetheless, the Bulldogs did just enough to pull off the comeback, going on a 15-0 run in the final frame to flip the script and recover from a 57-44 hole en route to its first victory after the hearbreaker against La Salle almost a week ago.
National U near-miss
Still, it didn't come without a scare, as clinging onto a two-point lead with just 1.1 ticks to go, National U's PJ Palacielo fouled Janrey Pasaol from three. The rookie Tamaraw, however, flubbed all of his freebies, allowing the Bulldogs to barge into the win column.
No NU player, however, even breached double-figures, but Palacielo had nine points and six rebounds to lead the charge. Jake Figueroa still had eight points, six rebounds, six assists, and three steals despite shooting 4-of-13 from the field, Kenshin Padrones nabbed eight points and 10 boards, and Fil-Canadian guard Paul Francisco also stepped up with seven points off the bench.
“Siyempre yung learning namin dito, 'di kami pwedeng mag-start slow. Yun ang sinasabi ko sa kanila, dapat yung effort nandoon, 110-percent all-out,” said coach Jeff Napa.
But National U's victory can also be seen as a failure on FEU’s part, with the young Tamaraws going just 1-of-13 from the field in the fourth quarter to be held to just five in the last 10 minutes.
It wasted what could have been a breakout game for Senegalese center Mo Konateh who made a living down low with 17 points, 16 rebounds, three assists, and two blocks, as the Bulldogs sorely missed the presence of its own foreign student-athlete Mo Diassana, who is now out for the season due to an ACL injury.
Veejay Pre also recorded 15 points and nine rebounds, while Pasaol’s seven-point, 11-rebound effort was negated by his missed freebies in the end which could have secured the upset but instead, sent the Tamaraws to 0-2.
The Scores:
NU 62 Palacielo 9, Figueroa 8, Padrones 8, Francisco 7, Enriquez 6, Garcia 5, Jumamoy 5, Santiago 4, Perciano 4, Lim 3, Tulabut 2, Yu 1, Manansala 0, Dela Cruz 0, Parks 0.
FEU 60 - Konateh 17, Pre 15, Bautista 7, Pasaol 7, Alforque 6, Daa 4, Bagunu 4, Montemayor 0, Ona 0, Anonuevo 0, Nakai 0.
Quarters: 13-24, 31-33, 44-55, 62-60.
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