Javier tows Warriors to repeat win over struggling Bulldogs

MANILA, Philippines -- Chris Javier went one rebound shy of a double-double as he led the UE Red Warriors to a repeat of its first round win against the defending champion NU Bulldogs with a grind-it-out 52-47 win on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena. 

Javier finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and two shot blocks outplaying the Bulldogs' big man Alfred Aroga, who struggled for 11 points on 4-of-14 shooting. In contrast, the Warriors' big man made seven of his 11 shots to fill up the slack for Bonbon Batiller, who was limited to three points after hitting 23 in their first round meeting. 

The Warriors wrested control of the game towards the end of the third quarter with a 5-2 windup to take the lead, 37-36. The Bulldogs, who were held to 28 percent from the field just could not get their game going in the endgame as they dropped to 3-5 win-loss mark creating a three-way logjam with the Warriors and the UP Fighting Maroons.

Aroga was the only NU player who hit in double figures as the Bulldogs slumped to their second straight loss.