NU Bulldogs head coach issues stern warning after tremendous end to their UAAP Season 87 campaign.
NU head coach Jeff Napa is already looking forward to what his team can do in UAAP Season 88 after ending their Season 87 campaign on a high, taking down defending champions, 63-54, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion on Wednesday.
Winning three of their last four games of the year, the Bulldogs capped off their season with victories over last year’s finalists, La Salle, and UP.
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After their tough stretch in the first round, with their foreign student-athlete sidelined from the first game, NU finally rose from the ashes and showed themselves as contenders in the latter part of the season.
Though eventually getting eliminated from Final Four contention with their loss against Adamson, Napa said that they were able to show who they were — and they are now eager to run it all back come next year.
“So happy sa mga players talaga na binigay nila yung best nila up to the last [game]. See you next year. Ganoon kasimple,” said Napa, who beamed with pride with his team’s win over La Salle that ended the latter’s nine game win streak.
“Definitely, hopefully, maging healthy kami talaga next year para at least maganda yung magiging performance ng lahat.”
Since the opening game, NU showed promise as they dragged defending champions La Salle into the deep waters in their first game of the season.
Even though NU foreign student-athlete Mo Diassana was out of commission from the first quarter of that game, NU went toe-to-toe with Kevin Quiambao and the Green Archers.
As the season went on, the struggles became evident as they ended up at the bottom half of the standings at the end of the first round — with a 2-5 record.
But as they learned to win without an import, Napa believes that his players will be better by next year, especially with his core players like PJ Palacielo already showing signs of greatness at the tail-end of Season 87.
“Confident naman talaga ako ever since eh. Although, yun nga, nagkaron ng adversities ngayon. Still, happy parin ako sa ginawang performance nila kasi yun nga, mahirap yung nangyari kumbaga. Pero ginawa nila yung part nila, sinubukan nilang iraise the bar despite the adversities kumbaga,” he said.
Palacielo finished with an all-around game of 16 points, eight rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block.
Returning Jake Figueroa also continued on his steady presence for NU with 14 markers, three rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
Palacielo and Figureoa towed NU’s upset win over a La Salle team that saw Quiambao struggle on a 3-of-17 shooting night wher ehe finished with just six points.
Mike Phillips steadied the ship for La Salle with 18 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block in the losing effort.