Defending champ NU eyes UAAP rebound

NU Bulldogs with head coach Eric Altamirano during the huddle. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

A week after its title defense hit a rough start, National University hopes to have regained its brand of play in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament Saturday.

The Bulldogs go for a first win against a University of the East side playing minus a vital cog in the 4 p.m. duel at Mall of Asia Arena.

“Right now, we’re really focused on how we’re playing,” said NU coach Eric Altamirano, who’s banking on the leadership of Gelo Alolino.

“There was no fluidity in our offense [in the first game]. We have to make sure that we refocus.”

Ateneo and Adamson, the two other teams who dropped their opening assignments, likewise target a first victory in the other match at 2 p.m.

Hardly looking like the defending champions, the Bulldogs played catch up against La Salle all game long before bowing to a 67-63 decision last Sunday.

So Altamirano wants his Bulldogs to come out fighting from the get-go against the Warriors, who will have to do without suspended Chris Javier.

“UE is a dangerous team,” said Altamirano. “I keep telling [our players] all the teams are hungry to beat us, so we have to be ready mentally.”

The Warriors look to rebound from a 62-55 drubbing versus the University of the Philippines, where Javier got ejected for throwing an elbow at UP’s Jerson Prado’s face with only 4.1 seconds left.

The Blue Eagles also believe they’re much better than what they showed in their 24-point loss to Far Eastern University, 88-64.

“We need to do more,” said Ateneo coach Bo Perasol. “We can’t be just like that, or else the stronger teams will just play us around.”