Bulldogs shocks Blue Eagles; stays alive in Final Four series #UAAP77
By Yanzi Eco
September 24, 2014
Despite Ateneo’s 4th quarter scare, the National University Bulldogs held their composure and gets away with the win 78-74 in a crucial Final Four face-off.
The Bulldogs has been leading most of the game. They led as much as 15 points and has ended the first three quarters not going below 8 points.
The Bustillos-based squad was on fire in the opening quarter with team captain Glenn Khobuntin leading the pack with 8 points in the first 10 minutes of the game.
Ateneo seemed helpless in the first 30 minutes of the game with NU getting a huge lift from JJ Alejandro who has been sensational from the field hitting 6 out of his 7 shots including 3 of 4 from behind the three-point line.
The game started to heat up in the final canto with the Blue Eagles forcing NU to commit errors after an early 5-0 run in the quarter. Ateneo made NU struggle protecting the ball on offense making the Bulldogs commit a total of 26 turnovers in the game.
After struggling in the first three quarters, Kiefer Ravena made his presence felt once again in crunch time scoring 15 of his 24 points in the 4th quarter.
Ateneo got the lead for the first time in the game with Nico Elorde hitting from beyond the arc to make it a 1 point 73-72 lead for Ateneo with 1:14 left in the game. But Kiefer Ravena commited 2 straight fouls in penalty situation with under a minute in regulation making NU get the lead back after JJ Alejandro and Gelo Alolino hitting 4/4 from the freethrow line combined making it hard for Ateneo to recover in the game.
JJ Alejandro led the Bulldogs with 20 points coming off the bench. Gelo Alolino added 16 points of his own. Meanwhile, team captain Glenn Khobuntin, who got fouled out with under 3 minutes left also contributed 12 points.
Kiefer Ravena led all scores with 24 points and 6 rebounds. Chris Newsome also chipped-in with 14 points and 7 rebounds.
This is NU’s first ever Final Four win in their UAAP history. They have never won in the playoffs since the Final Four playoff format was introduced back in 1993.
The scores:
NU (78) – Alejandro 20, Alolino 16, Khobuntin 12, Aroga 11, Rosario 6, Diputado 5, Javelona 4, Neypes 2, Betayene 2.
Ateneo (74) – K. Ravena 24, Newsome 14, Elorde 12, Pessumal 7, Capacio 6, Tolentino 6, Gotladera 3, Ravena 2.
Quarterscores: 24-14, 44-32, 60-50, 78-74.
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