NU snaps lengthy 4-game skid, sends Ateneo to cellar to end UAAP first-round run
MANILA, Philippines – After four straight games of close shaves and heartbreaks, the NU Bulldogs are finally back in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball winners’ circle after taking down the listless Ateneo Blue Eagles, 78-68, at the Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday, October 5.
Role player Kenshin Padrones played like a bona fide star when his team needed him the most, powering through with a career-high 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting to go with 6 rebounds as NU rose to a 2-5 record and sent reeling Ateneo at the bottom of the standings with a 1-6 slate.
Do-it-all forward Jake Figueroa likewise had one of his best games for the season, dropping 15 points on a 4-of-7 clip and 6-of-6 from the line with 7 boards and a game-high 4 assists, while veterans Steve Nash Enriquez and Jolo Manansala scored 9 and 8, respectively.
“Finally. At least we were able to break our heartbreaking skid,” NU head coach Jeff Napa said in Filipino. “Hopefully, this win will give us confidence heading to the second round. We’re still adjusting, but I still give credit to the players because they compete whatever the result is.”
Coming off a 34-28 halftime lead, NU seized full momentum of the contest with an 18-8 surge to start the third quarter, capped with a pair of Figueroa free throws for a 14-point peak separation, 52-38, with 2:18 left in the frame.
Although Ateneo regrouped well in the fourth with a barrage of Andrew Bongo threes and a Kyle Gamber long bomb to inch within 5, 58-63, with 6:14 to play, the Bulldogs remained unfazed and held the fort down with a quick 6-0 response to regain a double-digit lead, 69-58, with 4:40 left.
Figueroa then wrapped a bow on the game in the last 3 minutes of regulation, following a layup at the 2:53 mark with a dagger trey 30 ticks later to mount a 13-point lead, 74-61, that Ateneo never recovered from.
Bongo had the best game of his young Ateneo career in the loss with 17 points on a 5-of-10 clip from three, backstopped by 15 points and 4 assists from standout rookie Jared Bahay as the Eagles slid to possibly their worst first-round finish in the Final Four era.
Joshua Lazaro scattered 7 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in 16 minutes, while captain Chris Koon continued his frigid streak with 2 points on 1-of-8 shooting, just one game after going 0-of-8 against FEU.
The Scores
NU 78 – Padrones 18, Figueroa 15, Enriquez 9, Manansala 8, Garcia 7, Francisco 6, Palacielo 4, Jumamoy 4, Perciano 3, Dela Cruz 2, Lim 1, Santiago 1, Parks 0.
Ateneo 68 – Bongo 17, Bahay 15, Lazaro 7, Gamber 7, Balogun 6, Tuano 5, Espinosa 4, Koon 2, Quitevis 2, Espina 2, Ong 1, Porter 0.
Quarters: 15-13, 34-28, 58-46, 78-68.
– Rappler.com