The NU Bulldogs stage another upset at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion at the expense of the defending champions DLSU Green Archers.
Consider the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion the NU Bulldogs’ playground.
After beating the UP Fighting Maroons earlier this season in the España venue, NU trumped defending champions La Salle, 63-54, Wednesday afternoon to end their UAAP Season 87 campaign.
Playing in a non-bearing game against the top-seeded Green Archers, the Bulldogs played inspired basketball from the get-go to make it a convincing win against the defending champions.
Buoyed by a hot start where they started 9-1, NU hung on thanks to the late game heroics of PJ Palacielo to snap La Salle’s 9-game winning streak before heading into the Final Four.
Though they were already eliminated from semis contention, the Bulldogs threw everything but the kitchen sink at La Salle to pull out the upset victory and become the only team to beat both La Salle and UP this season.
Palacielo powered NU to the big win to end their season with a 5-9 slate.
He scored the clutch basket that pushed NU ahead by nine, 61-52, with 1:14 ticks left in the ball game.
Palacielo finished with 16 points, eight rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block.
Jake Figueroa, who also figured in that fourth quarter run that eventually helped them hold on for the victory, chipped in 14 points, three rebounds, two assists, and one steal.
La Salle, who finish the elimination round at 12-2, were led by Mike Phillips’ 18 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block.
Kevin Quiambao struggled anew with six points on 3-of-17 shooting. But the reigning MVP did have 15 rebounds, and a steal to go along with his low scoring output.