Bulldogs’ confidence up as they face Archers

By entering the semifinals, the National U Bulldogs, the perennial doormat, have already made history in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.

They barged to the semifinals for the first time in 13 years, and for the first time since the current format was adopted in 1994.

These historic feats, carved out with a pulsating double-overtime 108-102 win over the UE Red Warriors Thursday, sent them to tomorrow’s semifinals against the La Salle Archers.

Are they intimidated by the dreaded Archers?

"We’re happy we’ve reached our goal and that removed the pressure from us. We’re playing La Salle heads up, win or lose," said Manny Dandan, a cinch to win the Coach-of-the-Year trophy on his fourth year with the team.

In their two games against the Archers, the Bulldogs won once, 84-81, in their second encounter, with Froilan Baguion and a bunch of talented yet underrated cagers delivering the winning punches.

That gem of a win avenged NU’s disappointing 87-88 loss to La Salle in their first duel this season – a game they could have won if not for costly mistakes down the stretch.

Thursday’s feat alone has already given the Bulldogs the respect of other teams, more so of the Ateneo Blue Eagles, whose coach, Joe Lipa, himself recommended Dandan to mentor the NU Bulldogs four years ago.

"It would be good, of course, for the league if we face La Salle in the finals," said Lipa minutes after his Eagles clinched the first finals berth via a thrilling 67-63 victory over the Far Eastern U Tamaraws two days back at the Araneta Coliseum.

"But you don’t count out NU because it’s a team talented enough to pull the rug from under La Salle," he added.

Lipa said the Archers, who defeated them twice in the elimination round, had a hard time beating teams with a cat-quick, slashing and sweet-shooting backcourt, which is characteristic of the Bulldogs.

"I believe that La Salle would have preferred to play FEU in the Final 4. I think they are wary against either NU or UE because these two teams are capable of beating them," Lipa added.

With NU’s miserable past – titleless in the last 47 years – already forgotten, Dandan and the Bulldogs are now seeking a higher plateau as they gun for two wins against the Archers to be in a position they never thought they could reach – the finals.