NU survives UE’s late charge to complete Final 4 cast

 

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – The Bulldogs have finally made it. 

 

Alfred Aroga hit a pair of go-ahead free throws with 12.4 seconds to go to lift the National University Bulldogs to a pulsating 51-49 win over the University of the East Red Warriors on Saturday, September 20 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum to complete this season’s Final Four cast in the men’s basketball tournament of UAAP Season 77.

 

The 6-foot-6 Cameroonian center – who had been a source of energy for NU all game long and ended up with 7 markers and 8 rebounds – was fouled during a crucial play where guard Paolo Javelona found him free underneath off the inbound in a defensive lapse by UE.

 

“That was really the biggest play of our season,” said a composed NU head coach Eric Altamirano after the thrilling win. “Those were two big free throws for us.”

 

National University had to overcome a fiery, tenacious and determined squad of Warriors but Altamirano and his boys finally made it through.

 

UE fought valiantly in the fourth, inching to within 43-40 on a hard drive by Moustapha Arafat with 5:28 to go but the graduating Glenn Khobuntin connected on back-to-back huge baskets to stretch NU’s lead to 49-42. 

 

The Warriors continued to rally as Roi Sumang completed an and-one play and hit one from downtown to bring his squad to 49-48 with 1:16 to go. 

 

It looked like NU was about to endure yet another heartbreaking end to their season, just like last year where they came so close but couldn’t quite get over the hump. NU kept turning the ball over (35 times all game long) and to add to their worries, starting point guard Gelo Alolino had fouled out, leaving Jess Diputado to handle the playmaking.

 

 

But Altamirano, having been in the Final Four twice before this, knew what to say.

 

“We just told them to settle down. They’re (UE) making a run. We just have to focus on what we need to do.”

 

Behind a sea of red drowning out NU’s blue, Chris Javier tied the game at 49 with 37.9 ticks on the clock after he split from the line.

 

For NU, this used to be Ray Parks’ time. This used to be the moment they would turn to their star player to deliver them to victory. But they didn’t have that anymore.

 

Instead, staying true to what they’ve been preaching all season, the Bulldogs put all their faith into their most reliable weapon: defense. 

 

NU executed an effective defensive set in the final possession that prevented the ball from meeting the hands of a hot-shooting Sumang, which forced UE’s lone graduating player Bong Galanza (9 points) to take a three-pointer that simply bounced off the rim as time expired.

 

“We knew coming into the timeout that they were going to Sumang,” Altamirano explained. “We wanted to make him give up that ball. We knew that he’s going to attack, we knew he was going to make those one-on-one plays. We just wanted to double him and force him to give up the ball.”

 

Sumang could not bring his team successfully past the finish line again, capping off a season of endgame woes as he tallied 19 points after scoring just 3 points in the first half.

 

UE has not been to the Final Four since Season 72.

 

Crucial for UE was how they missed 5 of their 13 free throws in the payoff period. And although they clobbered NU on the offensive glass, 16-7, UE converted only two second-chance points.

 

No other Warrior was in double digits as Charles Mammie added 8 markers and 14 rebounds for UE, which was ablaze coming into this game with a 5-game win streak but lost steam towards the end in their bid to reach the Final Four.

 

“I have to give it to UE. I think they also deserve to be in the Final Four,” Altamirano commended the Warriors.

 

Coach Derrick Pumaren’s wards opened the game with a huge 9-0 run before NU made the adjustments and countered with an 11-0 burst of their own to eventually take a 26-21 halftime lead.

 

The Warriors briefly held the advantage midway in an electrically charged third frame with a Galanza floater, 27-26, but the Bulldogs managed to block out the rowdy crowd and maintain a 38-31 distance from the Warriors heading into the last canto.

 

“I’m very proud of my boys, they showed character tonight. They really did not give up. UE had a very, very big comeback at the end. We just kept reminding the boys to keep their composure,” he added.

 

Khobuntin led all Bulldogs with 12 markers after just 4 points in the first 20 minutes. He hit the crucial shots in the fourth that doused water on UE’s rally.

 

“Glenn has been a great leader to the team from the start up to this season,” Altamirano praised him. “He knows that this is his last year and I told him during the summer that, ‘Glenn this is your year.'”

 

For his part, Khobuntin had one thought replaying in his head amid the defeaning noise inside the Big Dome. 

 

“Yung mind ko I need to stop them talaga. Nag-bleed na kami and matatapos na yung oras kaya gusto ko talaga sila mapigilan.” (In my mind I was thinking I really need to stop them. We were bleeding and time was running out so I really wanted to stop UE.)

 

The next challenge for NU will be on Wednesday against the top seeded Ateneo Blue Eagles, who holds a twice-to-beat edge. 

 

In the Final Four, what advantage does NU have against everybody else? Altamirano goes back to their defense.

 

“Maybe we’ll struggle with our offense but what’s important is to focus on our strength,” he said. “If our defense got us here up to this point then we’ll have to go with that.”

 

He added, “I know it’s hard to win two straight games but we’ll be ready.”

 

Scores

 

NU (51): Khobuntin 12, Rosario 9, Alolino 7, Aroga 7, Javelona 6, Betayene 4, Alejandro 3, Perez 2, Diputado 1, Celda 0, Neypes 0.

 

UE (49): Sumang 19, Galanza 9, Mammie 8, Javier 5, Varilla 5, Arafat 2, Guiang 1, Alberto 0, De Leon 0, Jumao-as 0, Olayon 0, Palma 0.

 

Quarter scores: 15-14, 26-21, 38-31, 51-49.

 

– Rappler.com