MANILA, Philippines - Defending champion National U hopes to ride the momentum of its ego-boosting victory the last time out as it clashes with top seed Ateneo today in the UAAP Season 77 juniors’ basketball finals at The Arena in San Juan.
The Bullpups handed the thrice-to-beat Blue Eaglets their first loss of the season in the opener of the finals last Friday, 76-72, to virtually make it a race-to-two affair.
“I’m expecting Ateneo to come out strong. Hindi basta bibigay yan so kailangang handa kami (They won’t give in so we have to be prepared),” said Bullpups coach Jeff Napa, bidding to give NU a clean sweep of the hoops crown after the school bagged the men’s and women’s diadems in the first sem last year.
“Kung ano ang ipinakita namin sa Game 1, kailangang mas doble ang effort (We have to double the efforts we showed in Game 1),” he added.
NU made the most out of its height advantage in Game One with Mark Dyke leading the way with 20 points and 17 rebounds to go with three blocks. More importantly, NU’s support crew – John Clemente, Philip Manalang and Jordan Sta. Ana – delivered, too.
Soon-to-be-named MVP Mike Nieto led Ateneo’s losing cause with 25 big markers, but he was held to just two markers in the payoff period.