NU forces do-or-die with FEU for UAAP title

By: Mark Giongco - 10 years ago

NOY MORCOSO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — National University held off a late charge by Far Eastern University to win, 62-47, and force a deciding Game 3 in the UAAP Season 77 men’s basketball Finals Wednesday before a record crowd at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The fourth-seeded Bulldogs, who hurdled their fourth knockout game, kept the No. 2 Tamaraws at bay with chief guard Gelo Alolino hitting two big 3-pointers in the final 1:21 of the game after FEU came to within six.

“We felt that in our last game we didn’t do a good job defensively so we went back to our fundamentals and discipline with our defense,” said NU head coach Eric Altamirano.

“I thought our guards handled the pressure well when they (FEU) were making a run,” Altamirano said.

Troy Rosario led NU with 19 points, 15 coming in the first half, that went with 14 rebounds.

“I just wanna help the team and I don’t this to be my last game,” the graduation forward Rosario said in Filipino.

Game 3 will be on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.