MANILA, Philippines — National University tightened the defensive screws in the fourth quarter and made a needed push at the finish to eke out a come-from-behind 82-77 victory over Far Eastern U yesterday for its first win in the Filoil Flying V Preseason Cup 2019 at the Filoil Flying V Centre.
Trailing by five points, 72-77, with 2.21 minutes remaining, the Bulldogs shut down the Tams and unloaded a 10-0 run in the same stretch to complete the dramatic comeback.
“We made defensive adjustments in the second half because we were really outrebounded in the first,” said NU coach Jamike Jarin referring to their mere 14 rebounds against FEU’s 25 in the first two quarters.
From a 72-all deadlock, Wendell Comboy scored five straight points on a booming triple and a fastbreak basket from his own steal to give FEU a five-point cushion and a chance to register its first victory.
But NU fought back and tied the count at 77 on a Robert Minerva free throw, a Chino Mosquedo bucket and a dunk by Senegalese Issa Gaye with 1.12 minutes to go.
Dave Ildefonso, son of former PBA star and NU assistant Danny, then hit a foul shot, and John Lloyd Clemente buried a three-pointer to ice their win.
In the second game, Adamson outlasted College of St. Benilde, 82-75, for its second win in three games.
Lenda Douanga, who will suit up in the coming UAAP cage wars, had a monster 19-point, 16-rebound effort.