Bulldogs bulldoze Archers, clinch crown

MANILA, Philippines - National University unleashed a strong finishing kick to beat La Salle, 64-54, and complete a record sweep of the Filoil Flying V Pre-Season Hanes Cup championship before a huge crowd at Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan yesterday.

More importantly, it underscored the Bulldogs’ readiness for the coming UAAP season, which they will host starting next month.

Bobby Ray Parks Jr. bucked a sluggish start and took charge at crunchtime, his clutch triple sparking the Bulldogs’ endgame blitz. He finished with a game-high 19 points to help power NU to its first title since winning a Fr. Martin’s Cup tournament last year.

Cameroonian Emmanuel Mbe also came through with a triple in the fourth while the rest backed them up with a gritty defense that stymied the Archers’ offensive thrusts in the clutch.

The Bulldogs thus completed their title run with an 11-0 (win-loss) sweep of the tournament for what could be their biggest basketball victory since NU won its first and only UAAP title 58 years ago.

“I’d like to thank God for this victory because this is a first for us,” said NU coach Eric Altamirano with his eight-year-old daughter Abigail.

“We’re very happy personally for the school because we were able to overcome a lot of things. I know this is just the pre-season and we have a long way to go,” said Altamirano.

“But just for today, this is the biggest victory of the school and for the organization so we will celebrate it,” he added.

Parks, watched and cheered on by his father, former many-time PBA Best Import Bobby Sr., ended up with the MVP trophy, his sterling performance throughout making him a marked player in the coming UAAP cage wars.

“He’s the leader of this team and the hardest worker and his teammates follow him because he holds everyone accountable if they relax in practice,” said Altamirano referring to Parks, actually the reigning UAAP MVP.

Mbe, who joined Parks in the Mythical Team along with La Salle’s Norberto Torres and Ateneo’s Greg Slaughter and Kiefer Ravena, finished with a double-double job of 13 points and a game-high 15 rebounds.

The championship was close majority of the way with La Salle, which stunned the erstwhile unbeaten San Beda in the Final Four, seizing a 16-15 edge after the first quarter and NU wresting the lead at 28-26 at the turn.

The Bulldogs kept a three-point lead, 44-41, into the fourth quarter but went on a spree down the stretch behind Parks and Mbe.

Earlier, dethroned champion Ateneo settled for third place finish by trouncing San Beda, 66-55.

Seven-footer Greg Slaughter turned in a solid performance, making 10 of his 13 shots and ending up with 11 rebounds to power the Eagles to the victory.

“It’s not that we’ve gotten worse, it’s just that other team like NU and La Salle have improved,” said Ateneo coach Norman Black, who will be seeking to steer the Loyola-based school to a rare five-peat in his last season as coach.

“We’re looking at the coming UAAP season now,” he added.