Those surprising NU Bulldogs

MANILA, Philippines – Is it possible that for two consecutive years that a basketball team surprises?

We are specifically referring to the National University Bulldogs. Currently, they are at 4-1 — second place in the UAAP.

It is easy to say that they have continued their hard work from the previous season (where they lost two key players in Janjan Felicilda and Reyland Torres, who transferred to UP).

However, let’s point this out. This time around, they have lost John Lloyd Clemente, Germy Mahinay, Jonas Tibayan and RJ Minerva.

They are in second spot behind the heads-up play of Jake Figueroa, Kean Baclaan, Omar John, PJ Palacielo, Mike Malonzo, Patrick Yu, Nash Enriquez, Donn Lim, Jolo Manansala and more. 

They are easily the hardest working team in the UAAP. Place emphasis on “team”. 

In their first three matches of this campaign, none of their players averaged double digits. Everyone pitched in.

This all leads back to their head coach Jeff Napa, who has become one of the finest young coaches in college basketball. 

While Napa won championships in the UAAP Juniors Division, one can say that they have a superb recruitment program. It was when he moved to Letran that he began to turn heads making the most of the material he had and putting his team in a position to win. 

But it is in his return to his alma mater of NU where he has specifically shown his coaching chops.

Imagine losing all these players (including the champion Bullpups team that migrated to UP) and still getting them to compete. Furthermore, he has beaten Ateneo and then La Salle this campaign; two of the most bemedaled basketball programs in the country. And he is in a league that features some really bright minds in the game — Napa is shining. 

In his second year as NU head coach, Napa downplays this. “A lot of adversity will come naman,” he pointed out. “I just have to be ready and to prepare for it.”

Following the loss to UP, he simply said, “We have to move on from the loss and be more ready and prepared (next time).”

His teams are a joy to watch — their hard work, relentless hustle, as well as their blood and guts team play. In a league filled with tall centers and athletic specimens and the products of a recruiting system that has spiraled out of control, the Bulldogs are throwbacks. 

Now that’s a pleasant surprise.