Bulldogs get coach's stamp of approval with bounce-back win vs Blue Eagles

MANILA, Philippines – NU Bulldogs head coach Jeff Napa was happy to see his players refocus on their ultimate goal in UAAP Season 86 after a tough loss to La Salle last week, as they returned to the win column with a 65-61 victory over defending champions Ateneo on Saturday.

After calling out his boys for “lack of effort” against the Green Archers, the Sampaloc-based squad heeded the call against a win-hungry Ateneo team, as they fended off their foes’ comeback bid late in the game.

NU scored the game’s last five points after an 8-0 flurry by the Blue Eagles helped them seize a 61-60 lead, after trailing by seven points prior. But led by Player of the Game Jake Figueroa and sizzling rookie Reinhard Jumamoy, the Bulldogs created separation from the top half of the standings to tighten their hold on No. 2.

“Actually, ito dapat kami how we play talaga,” Napa said of how hard his players fought. 

“We emphasize yung effort talaga. Yung last game talaga lack of effort talaga yun, everybody lutang. Now, everybody stays sharp.”

It wasn’t even the win that had Napa the most satisfied, rather, it was the way that his players treated the ballgame as they held on and went toe-to-toe against the traditional powerhouse.

“Everybody wanted talaga na makuha, di naman yung panalo, kundi ma-emphasize lang yung effort na sinasabi namin talaga. Yung W, yung panalo, pag naglagay kami ng input doon sa effort na yan, magiging maganda yung pabor sa amin talaga,” he said.

The Bulldogs went down the wire for the victory that further soured an increasingly difficult season for the Blue Eagles. NU swept its two games against Ateneo this season, while it also sent the defending champions to a three-game skid – a first since UAAP Season 76 in 2013.

But with the rest of the season still to play, and the goal of a championship still on their minds, Napa will hope to keep it going with his Bulldogs.

Wary of everybody in the league, the head tactician wants to come out with the same energy each and every time.

“Right now, 'di pa rin ako ganoon ka-satisfied kasi mahaba pa yung season eh. 'Di kami pwedeng makuntento talaga na maganda yung bounce-back namin, pero pagdating ng Wednesday, off na naman,” he said, as his Bulldogs face dark horse FEU next. 

“Pagdating ng Wednesday, malakas ulit yung kalaban namin. Kailangan ng consistency sa effort namin na binibigay namin day in and day out. Yun yung talagang identity namin.”

As it stands, NU sports an 8-2 record and is second only to league leaders and Season 85 runner-up UP, who is 8-1. The latter plays its 10th game of the season on Sunday against DLSU.