Bullpups blow by Junior Archers for UAAP Season 78 Juniors title

UAAP Juniors champions NU Bullpups.

Domination just found its personification, and it’s in a bunch of high schoolers.

National University showed total control and ripped De La Salle-Zobel, 96-75, to claim the UAAP Season 78 Juniors Basketball Tournament Friday at San Juan Arena.

It was still a fair match in the first half before Winderlich Coyoca worked some wonders for the Bullpups and knocked down an improbable triple with 0.3 seconds remaining which sparked NU’s upward trajectory.

National University raced to a 23-3 run to start second half with Joshua Callejo converting from long distance to give the Bullpups a 73-40 lead.

Bullpups head coach Jeff Napa said it was their solid defense that triggered their third quarter run where they outscored the Junior Archers 31-15.

“All throughout the season di kami basta basta nagmamadali, siguro pasensiyoso kami, at back to square one kami sa kung saan kami malakas at kung ano talaga kami,” Napa said who earned his third title in five years.

“Actually nag rally kami dahil sa defense namin throughout the season and nag send kami ng message na kung ano ang identity, pinakita namin depensa namin at kung sino kami sa UAAP.”

A sweep was within their reach but Napa said it’s the title they wanted more than an undefeated series.

The Bullpups were on their way to a unscathed run to the crown until the Junior Archers extended the series with a 70-61 win in game 2 last week.

“Nanghihinayang pero mas masarap mag champion.”

Justine Baltazar tallied 18 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, and four blocks en route to earning the Finals MVP award.

And it wasn’t just in the clincher that Baltazar put up such numbers as he averaged 16.6 points, 20.3 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks in the three games he played.

Coyoca was the high-point man for NU with 20 points to go along six rebounds while John Lloyd Clemente had a 15-point, 15-rebound double-double.

Karl Peñano, who came off the bench, also scored in double figures with 16 points while grabbing seven boards, and Rhayyan Amsali produced 11 points and nine rebounds.

Juniors MVP Aljun Melecio had a game-high 22 points for La Salle to go along seven boards and six assists while substitute Jan Sobrevega added 20 points for the runners-up.