Today’s lessons, along with some new additions, will be part of NU’s redemption tour for UAAP Season 88 a year from now.
The NU Bulldogs finished off their UAAP Season 87 campaign in style with a win over top-seeded La Salle Green Archers at the UST Quadricentennial Pavillion on Wednesday.
With a 63-54 victory, the Bulldogs finish Season 87 with a 5-9 record to send seniors Pat Yu and Donn Lim off on a winning note. They also became the lone team to beat La Salle and second-ranked UP Fighting Maroons at least once this season as they won three of their last four assignments.
So, despite missing on a Final Four berth, head coach Jeff Napa beamed with pride as his team fought through the adversities they faced this season.
“Confident naman talaga ako ever since. Although nagkaroon ng adversities ngayon, still happy pa rin ako sa ginawang performance nila. Mahirap ‘yung nangyayari pero ginawa nila ‘yung part nila. Sinubukan nilang i-raise the bar despite the adversities,” Napa said following the game.
“Meron kaming something to look forward for the next year talaga and itong season na ito ‘yung gagamitin namin talaga para pagbutihan pa.”
On top of finishing Season 87 strong, the Bulldogs are expected to field an intact core for Season 88, led by Jake Figueroa, Jolo Manansala, and Steve Nash Enriquez playing their fifth and final year of eligibility.
Guard Tebol Garcia will enter his sophomore year, while Reinhard Jumamoy hopes to rebound from his own sophomore slump as a third-year guard. Local bigs, such as PJ Palacielo are also expected to run it back with the Bulldogs.
Given this, Napa is hopeful that someone can fill the leadership role to be vacated by Lim and Yu in Jhocson.
“So tulad neto ni PJ na mayroon pang two playing years. Ngayon pinakita na niya ‘yung kakayanan talaga niya. So mas lalo na niyang maintindihan ‘yung value niya sa team kumbaga,” said Napa after Palacielo’s 16 points and eight boards against La Salle. “So what we expect more from here next year, is mag-improve sila kumbaga kasama nila Jake, ni Jolo tsaka si Nash.”
Napa is also expecting some NSNU Bullpups to move into the seniors’ ranks such as big men Jed Solomon, Migs Palanca, and boys’ basketball MVP Collins Akowe. Understandably, the mentor is focused on deepening his frontcourt rotation following their Season 87 run.
“‘Yung core naman buo pa eh, lalagyan lang namin ng mga bata dun sa baba. Malalaki gaya ni Solomon tsaka ni Palanca, talagang hinihintay ko lang matapos ng high school. Siyempre given na ‘yun si Collins. Kumbaga it’s up to us [to decide],” said the former UAAP juniors mentor.
Napa, though, is prioritizing the addition of local big men into the Bulldogs’ lair after guards such as Yu were forced to man the frontcourt this season.
“Local pa rin ‘yung hinahanap namin na magsu-support sa mga [nandito] ngayon. Kasi nakita niyo naman paano maglaro gaya [ni Pat Yu], hindi naman big man ito pero pinaglalaro sa kwatro [power forward] at singko [center]. So mahirap sa sitwasyon talaga nila na maglaro out of position…Hinanda ko sila for three years sa normal na posisyon nila para sa next step nila tas ngayon biglang nabago uli,” Napa said.
With their Season 87 campaign ending early, the NU Bulldogs will take a short vacation before resuming their training leading up to UAAP Season 88. Hopefully, health and circumstances will favor them this time around in their attempt to contend again for a Final Four spot.
Banner image courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.