Making the Final Four ‘a tall order’ for NU, says Altamirano

Defending champion National University could miss the Final Four this season. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

National University was the Cinderella team last year after it became the first fourth seed to win the UAAP title.

The Bulldogs, who are currently in fifth place with only three games left, hope the clock hasn’t struck midnight yet in their fight to make the Final Four this season.

NU head coach Eric Altamirano, though, knows that at 4-7 and a game and a half behind De La Salle University for the last semifinals spot, the Bulldogs’ fate not entirely in their hands.

“We have to win our remaining games and the other teams have to lose,” Altamirano said after NU’s 68-59 loss to Ateneo on Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.”It’s a tall order for us.

Winning its final three games won’t be easy for NU with La Salle, fighting to keep the fourth spot, on Wednesday before wrapping up its elimination round campaign against University of the Philippines on Nov. 8 and Far Eastern University on Nov. 14.