SHS-Ateneo bows to NU in NBTC tilt

PASIG CITY, Philippines - —   For a second straight year, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu (SHS-AdC) settled for a Final Four Finish at the Seaoil NBTC Elite League 2014 National Finals after bowing to the National University (NU) Bullpups, 87-73, yesterday at the Ynares Center here.

The Bullpups showed why they were the back-to-back UAAP champions as they made full use of their deep bench, heft and size to outlast and outmuscle the upset-seeking Magis Eagles. It was a close first half with NU taking a 22-20 lead after the first period and 43-38 at halftime.

Things began to unravel in the third quarter when NU streaked to a 61-49 lead before the Cebu champions sliced it to 65-54 at the end of the quarter. NU then scored six unanswered points to kick off the payoff period for a commanding 71-54 lead that broke the game open.

The lead ballooned to 81-60 before SHS-AdC made one last stand as Arnie Padilla and Janjan Jaboneta combined for eight points in a 10-0 counter rally, but the closest they could get was at 81-70.

The troika of Hubert Cani, John Caulian and Mark Dyke did most of the damage with Cani orchestrating the offense, scoring off nifty pull-up jumpers and feeding the big men for baskets. The Caulian and Dyke duo dominated the paint. Coach Jeff Napa’s strategic rotation of his players slowly but surely took its toll on SHS-AdC who couldn’t match up as the game wore on.

The Ateneo de Manila-bound Cani scattered 16 points to lead NU, while Caulian had 15 and Dyke contributed 14. NBTC Cebu’s Most Outstanding Player Janjan Jaboneta had his share of the limelight as he displayed his moves inside the paint up against the taller and bigger Bullpups as he led the Magis Eagles with 20 points. Arnie Padilla had 15 before fouling out with 4:11 left in the game, while Jair Igna had 13.

In last year’s semifinals, the Magis Eagles bowed to Hope Christian School. But they’ll hold their heads up high knowing that they matched up with the best of the best in the country.

In the post-match huddle, the coaching staff reminded them that losing to a back-to-back UAAP champion was already a big achievement for a school from outside Manila. They started the national finals with a loss to NU 80-76, before bouncing back with resounding wins over St. Francis of Asisi School of Cavite, 91-57, and Assumption School of Davao, 100-36.  (FREEMAN)