NU Bulldogs’ Kean Baclaan in the UAAP Season 86. –UAAP PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—National University brushed off a slow start to squeak past Adamson, 69-66, to end its first round campaign in the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball at UST Quadricentennial Pavilion on Saturday.
The Bulldogs ended their first round on a high note with a 6-1 record, but they first had to overcome a sluggish start where they went down as big as 11 in the first half.
“We needed to get this win so when we get to the second round, we’ll have a boost of energy. It’s a good win for us but in that first half, we weren’t on the same page so we just bounced back in the second half because coach Jeff (Napa) got mad at us,” said Kean Baclaan in Filipino.
Baclaan, who finished with 19 points, was the difference maker for NU which turned a 41-30 deficit into a winning finish.
The Bulldogs went on a blistering 19-6 run highlighted by five triples from Baclaan. The third quarter ended with NU leading by just one, 55-54, setting up a nail-biting finish.
“We really just woke up in that third quarter. That’s when we started working and that’s how we got the W,” said Napa.
NU Bulldogs in the UAAP Season 86 men’s basketball tournament. -UAAP PHOTO
With the score tied at 63-all, the Bulldogs surged with six unanswered points capped off by a Steve Nash Enriquez floater to put NU up, 69-63, with 1:29 to go in the game.
Matthew Montebon converted on a long-bomb to keep Adamson alive, 69-66, but the Soaring Falcons would go on to miss all their next shots as they dropped to 3-4 after the first round.
The Bulldogs had an abysmal start to the game with a dry spell, trailing 10-0, which only stopped after a Jolo Manansala bucket, five minutes into the game.
Enriquez and Jake Figueroa answered the call for NU with 13 and 17 points, respectively.
Matt Erolon top scored for Adamson with 14 markers in the defeat. Montebon and OJ Ojarikre also scored 11 and 10 but to no avail.