Just like that, the NU Bulldogs improve their chances of claiming the remaining Final Four slot in UAAP Season 87.
The much-needed bark to a Final Four spot is alive and kicking for Jake Figueroa and the NU Bulldogs.
Figueroa scored all of his 13 points in the second half, as the Bulldogs registered a 67-62 come-from-behind win against the UST Growling Tigers in their UAAP Season 87 second round encounter on Wednesday, November 6.
Jolo Manansala topscored NU with 18 points while PJ Palacielo added 15 for NU, who erased a 13-point lead behind a scintillating 20-7 fourth quarter.
More importantly, the win increased the Bulldogs slim chances of securing the final two Final Four sports a two days removed from pulling off a stunning win against the UP Fighting Maroons in their last outing.
Manansala’s triple put the Bulldogs ahead, 59-58, before a five-point Jake Figueroa mini-run padded NU’s lead at 64-58 with 4:37 left.
But Kyle Paranada knocked down a much-needed three-pointer of his own to nudge UST to within a single possession game, 64-61.
UST, trailing 64-62 in the last minute of regulation, wasted two chances to tie the game after Nic Cabañero and Mo Tounkara missed their respective attempts on a fastbreak play.
Reinhard Jumamoy then split his free throws to make it 65-62 that gave the Growling Tigers a slim chance, but Cabañero and Tounkara once again fumbled late.
Lenard Santiago iced the game with two clutch freebies that sealed NU’s dramatic turn around.
The Bulldogs now improved to 4-8, tied for the sixth spot with the FEU Tamaraws with two games left against Adamson and reigning champion DLSU.
On the other hand, Mo Tounkara and Nic Cabañero combined for 34 points to lead UST, who slipped to 5-7 but remained in the fourth spot behind no. 3 UE Red Warriors (6-5).
Only Tounkara and Cabañero are the lone starters who scored for UST with three Gelo Crisostomo, Chase Lane and Geremy Robinson going scoreless.
The two squads will face each other on Saturday, November 9.
Despite outscoring the Bulldogs, 43-28, in the middle quarters, UST fumbled late and dropped their fourth game in the last five games in the second round.