Rookie Reinhard Jumamoy goes wild as NU sends reeling Ateneo to 3rd straight loss

MANILA, Philippines – Rookie guard Reinhard Jumamoy had the game of his young life in timely fashion as the NU Bulldogs escaped the Ateneo Blue Eagles, 65-61, in a crucial UAAP Season 86 standings push at the Mall of Asia Arena on Saturday, November 4.

Despite being the team’s third-string point guard, Jumamoy stepped in admirably for injured backup Steve Nash Enriquez, as he dropped a collegiate career-high 21 points in just 15 minutes off the bench, hitting the first 8 of his 10 total shots and the first 5 of his 6 attempts from three.

Thanks to Jumamoy’s eruption, NU turned a 22-33 first-half deficit to just 35-38 at intermission, and eventually went ahead in the third, 48-45, off the Season 85 high school MVP’s heat-check triple at the 2:40 mark.

Although Ateneo still managed to push ahead to 61-60 with 2:08 left in the fourth off a Sean Quitevis inbound steal and layup, NU quickly swung back momentum to its favor after a huge Jake Figueroa corner three, 63-61, with 68 ticks left.

The Blue Eagles had their chances with the game still very much for the taking, but costly misses from Jared Brown and a Chris Koon turnover in the post with 3.4 seconds left sealed their fate, as Figueroa calmly sank the game-sealing free throws on the other end off the duty foul.

“Good win for us. Hard fought win for us because it’s already the second round. Everybody stepped up. All teams are stepping up,” said NU head coach Jeff Napa in Filipino.

“It’s a good thing the game went in our favor in the last few minutes. Jake made clutch big shots and free throws so we were able to be here in this situation.”

Figueroa, also a former UAAP high school MVP, backstopped Jumamoy with 18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 blocks, as no other NU player breached double-digit scoring.

With the win to rise to an 8-2 slate, the second-running Bulldogs clinched at least a playoff for the Final Four fourth seed, while Ateneo dropped to fifth with a 4-6 slate.

Big man Joe Obasa paced the Blue Eagles’ third straight loss – its worst skid in 10 years – with 11 points, 9 boards, and 3 rejections.

Kai Ballungay added 10 points and 5 rebounds, while Koon scattered 8 points, 7 assists, 6 boards, and 2 steals, albeit on just 4-of-13 shooting.

Ateneo deputy Sandy Arespacochaga called the shots for the struggling defending champions as head coach Tab Baldwin was reportedly under the weather.