Will it be a historic five-peat for NU, or an equally unprecedented title number 26 for FEU?
Six years since their last finals meeting, familiar foes NU Bulldogs and FEU Tamaraws will be battling for the crown once more in the best-of-three UAAP Season 87 Men’s Volleyball Finals starting this May 11.
Both teams proved to be Season 87’s best teams throughout the elimination rounds, with FEU securing the top seed with a strong 13-1 record, and National U trailing closely with their own 12-2 slate.
The Tamaraws were first to clinch their finals ticket after dispatching the DLSU Green Spikers last May 3, while the Bulldogs needed to play in a win-or-go-home match against the UST Golden Spikers on May 7 to make their 10th consecutive UAAP Men’s Volleyball Finals appearance.
With a short break before the action, let’s take a look at the matchup between the two powerhouse squads.
The story so far…
Season 87 saw NU and FEU split their elimination round games, with the Tamaraws emerging victorious in Round 1, and the Bulldogs getting even in Round 2.
Round 1 was a statement victory for the Morayta-based spikers, silencing the Bulldogs in a 27-25, 25-14, 25-23 sweep early into the new UAAP season. Strong net defense was key in that early-season win, with opposite Dryx Saavedra and middle blocker Doula Ndongala leading the Tamaraws’ 10-block outing against the defending champs.
FEU came close to sweeping their season series in Round 2, before the Bulldogs exhibited championship poise under pressure. Down two sets to one, National U mounted a furious rally, hosting their own 14-block outing that snapped the Tamaraws’ nine-game winning streak in the ongoing UAAP season.
Now, it remains to be seen who will stand tall when the stakes are at their highest once the best-of-three finals tip off.
By the numbers
NU: A major storyline heading into UAAP Season 87 was National U’s performance without its longtime veterans in cerebral setter Owa Retamar and outside hitter Nico Almendras. It hasn’t been flawless by any means, but the Bulldogs have nonetheless continued to assert their status as one of the UAAP’s best men’s volleyball programs.
Crucial to NU’s continued success has been their wing spiker pool, with outside hitters Buds Buddin and Leo Aringo pairing their leadership with steady numbers. Aringo was a two-way asset for National U, averaging 12.57 points per game during eliminations, and ranked sixth in receiving with a 49.28 percent attack efficiency.
Buddin, meanwhile, emerged as NU’s top scorer with 14.07 points per contest, and was one of Season 87’s more lethal servers with 0.26 aces per set.
Behind the two leaders are a pair of bright, young spikers in Season 86 Rookie of the Year Jade Disquitado and Leo Ordiales. Despite being sidelined due to injuries, Disquitado made sure to have his presence felt whenever given minutes by head coach Dante Alinsunurin.
In eight elimination round games played, Disquitado churned out a solid 12.63 points per contest, on top of providing added energy through his fun-loving personality. Ordiales, meanwhile, will enter the finals fresh off a season-high 20 points against UST, which doubled as a showcase of his six-foot-three frame combined with raw athleticism and powerful hits.
National U also emerged as the top blocking team for Season 87 with 2.77 kill blocks per set, which can be attributed to a frontline bannered by Alas Pilipinas standout Peng Taguibolos, and former Best Middle Blocker Obed Mukaba.
Taguibolos, who has also shown his mettle on offense, averaged 0.53 blocks per set after eliminations, while Mukaba was the Bulldogs’ best blocker with 0.58 rejections per frame as they both showcase their impeccable timing on net defense.
But what about the setting? It’s still a ways to go, but it can be described as stable at the very least, with Gregg Ancheta (4.06 excellent sets per frame) and Jeffe Gallego (1.58 excellent sets per frame) trying their best to utilize a deep pool of attackers throughout the season.
FEU: In some ways, FEU can be described as a mirror image of National U, as an equally lengthy team that can feast on their opponents on both ends when clicking.
The most intriguing part of FEU’s Season 87 campaign, however, has been their new additions, namely Mikko Espartero, Amet Bituin, libero Vennie Ceballos, and foreign student athlete Doula Ndongala.
A former Team B member, Espartero has been a welcome revelation for the Tamaraws and has shone as a secondary scoring option behind their equally explosive lefty Dryx Saavedra. In bringing a solid offensive arsenal, Espartero averaged 13.57 points throughout eliminations, good for seventh overall league-wide.
Like Espartero, the homegrown rookie Bituin is another welcome addition to the FEU offense and has been part of FEU’s starting six since the final stretch of eliminations. A two-way outside hitter, Bituin has since averaged 13 points, 3.5 digs, and 6.5 receptions as a starter in FEU’s last four games, including the Final Four against DLSU.
On the defensive end, Ceballos has proven his worth as one of Season 87’s best liberos, placing third in digging (2.40 per set) and receiving (54.24 percent efficiency). FEU may be shaky as a team on floor defense, but Ceballos’ emergence is a welcome sight nonetheless.
Dongala, meanwhile, provides a huge boost for FEU’s second-ranked net defense (2.77 blocks per game), as he links up with veteran Lirick Mendoza to reject opposing spikers. A Congolese middle blocker, Ndongala averaged 0.63 rejections per set for the Morayta-based spikers, only trailing the more senior Mendoza and his 0.65 blocks per set.
Leading these young guns are Mendoza, the lefty opposite Dryx Saavedra, and the ever-steady Ariel Cacao, who have continued their individual brilliance while taking on leadership roles for the retooled Tamaraws.
Mix in all these pieces, and you have a lethal talent pool within Morayta, which is accompanied by the lingering desire to avoid another heartbreaking end to their UAAP season.
Early prediction
If we’re talking about pure talent, then this should be an evenly matched contest between the NU Bulldogs and FEU Tamaraws, which makes for a highly interesting series starting this May 11.
However, in this battle of equal skillsets, NU holds a valuable tiebreaker, and that’s the championship poise that they have acquired over the years. Retamar and Almendras are huge losses, yes, but let’s not forget that much of their Season 85 core remains in Jhocson for Season 87.
Our prediction? NU gets the five-peat in three games.
Banner images courtesy of Cas Aseoche, UAAP Media Bureau.