MANILA, Philippines – Keeping the hunger that has taken them this far, the National University Bulldogs bested the Far Eastern University Tamaraws, 75-59, to clinch their first UAAP title in 60 years at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Wednesday
Alfred Aroga stood tall with a career-high 24 points for the Eric Altamirano-mentored Bulldogs, whose last UAAP title was in 1954. The Cameroonian bigman finished with a double-double by hauling down 18 rebounds, and his imposing inside presence spelled the difference in the game that drew a record crowd of 25,138.
Aroga eventually came away with the well-deserved finals MVP plum.
Gelo Alolino, Glen Khobuntin and JJ Alejandro scattered 12, 10 and 10 markers, respectively, to add to the cause of the Sampaloc-based squad.
The Bulldogs thus wrote a perfect conclusion to a gutsy journey that saw them beating University of the East in a playoff match for the fourth and last semis berth and outplaying top seed Ateneo to enter the finals.
The victory over a dangerous FEU squad also made NU the first fourth-ranked squad in the semifinals to successfully seize the championship.