By Jun Ray Navarres
National University stared down a massive deficit before unleashing a ferocious comeback to defeat the University of the East, 83-74, on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum to secure a crucial twice-to-beat heading into the UAAP Season 88 Men’s Basketball Final Four.
What was supposed to be an easy win for the Top Dogs immediately turned into a survival test as they struggled to match the energy of the desperate Red Warriors.
The winless UE rallied behind the explosive start from rookie Kristoff Lagat and the inside presence of Precious Momowei to deliver a spirited opening salvo that completely rattled the pre-game favorite.
After a 21-17 first quarter, UE extended their lead to 11, 42-31 going into the dugout for halftime. The Red Warriors continued their momentum to further widen the gap, 53-35 early in the third quarter.
That was when everything snapped for NU.
“Kami, masyadong relaxed,” head coach Jeff Napa said. “So pagpasok namin sa dugout simple lang ang sinabi ko, ‘Yun ba ang level na gusto niyong i-perform eh papasok na tayo ng Final Four?’ If you want to succeed sa next level, kailangan ipakita nila ‘yung best nila.”
The message resonated immediately.
The Bulldogs implemented a full-court press and tightened their man-to-man defense, forcing quick shots and turnovers from the Red Warriors while veteran Jolo Manansala led the team on the scoring end.
NU closed the massive gap with a 20-4 surge, cutting the deficit to a manageable two points, 57-55, with less than two minutes remaining in the third period. While UE managed to hold the lead at the end of the quarter (61-56), the psychological damage was already done.
Manansala picked up exactly where he left off, taking advantage of a quick inbound play to score on an alley-oop finish at the 7:37 mark to give NU their first lead, 62-61.
With timely contributions from PJ Palacielo and Jake Figueroa, NU completely flipped the switch with a decisive 19-2 run in the final canto.
The pride of Recto went cold, unable to convert a single field goal for the vast majority of the quarter which ultimately led to their demise.
Manansala led the comeback with a season-high performance of 21 points, three rebounds, and three assists.
“Siguro kahit papaano nagpi-peak naman na ako kasi thankful ako sa teammates and coaches ko kasi nandoon pa rin ‘yung tiwala, hindi ko naman magagawa ‘yung ganiyang stats kundi dahil sa kanila,” said Manansala.
Figueroa provided the usual all-around brilliance, adding 14 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, while big man Omar John delivered a powerful double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
For UE, Lagat paced the team with 17 points, while Momowei finished with a double-double of 14 points and 12 boards, underscoring UE Coach Chris Gavina’s efforts to instill a never-say-die attitude.
The win improves NU’s outstanding record to 11-2, giving them the definitive edge in the upcoming playoffs. The Red Warriors, despite the valiant effort, dropped to 0-13.
Featured image courtesy of UAAP Media Bureau
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