NU looking like legitimate title threats again after beating FEU

PJ Palacielo (in white) helps make the Bulldogs formidable. —UAAP PHOTO

National University didn’t look like much of a threat in the early goings of the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tournament.

After the graduations of Jake Figueroa, Steve Nash Enriquez and Jolo Manansala, the Bulldogs had their difficulties in sustaining their image as perennial title contenders with a relatively young core.

After the end of the elimination’s first round, however, the Bulldogs seemingly reclaimed that fearsome look Jeff Napa had been waiting to see since the season started.

In order to keep that image intact, however, NU needs consistency heading into the next phase of the tourney.

“We need to be consistent heading into the second round because, for sure, they will take notice with our players,” Napa said after the squad’s gritty 69-65 win over Far Eastern University at Ateneo Blue Eagle Gym on Saturday.

“Maybe other people still look at NU differently,” Napa went on. “Maybe others still take us for granted. But I see [my players] proving the doubters wrong and [showing them] they can compete at a high level.”

This batch of Bulldogs showcased its true potential in humbling the Tamaraws, who have now taken a second straight defeat smack on the mouth after having sat atop the standings with a 4-1 start.

“We really played a good second half,” Napa said. “The first half, we allowed [the Tamaraws] to play their game.”

The Tamaraws came into the game still licking the wounds of a close loss to University of Santo Tomas on Wednesday. They were looking to bounce back.

National U simply had other plans.

Macmac Alfanta and PJ Palacielo turned in 14 and 13 points, respectively, in the Bulldogs’ third straight win as National U took a share of the elimination round lead with University of the Philippines at 5-2.

Reinhard Jumamoy stuffed the stat sheet with 12 points, seven assists and four rebounds while Garcia and Paul Francisco had 13 and 10 points, in that order.

Cabs Cabonilas, Far Eastern’s prized rookie, led all Tamaraws in scoring with 14 points highlighted by two triples. Only three players finished in twin digits for the losing side.

Napa is no stranger to strong starts. The veteran coach has seen this scene way too many times before, and it hasn’t ended the way they wanted it to.

So it wasn’t surprising that he urged the Bulldogs to raise their standards even more.

“[Our] job’s not finished. We still have a second round that we need to prepare for,” he said. “We need to raise our standards to truly compete.” INQ