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Emotionally battered by multiple crunch-time losses to start UAAP Season 87, Jeff Napa and the rest of the NU Bulldogs are out for revenge as the second round comes along
MANILA, Philippines – Real men aren’t afraid to let their feelings known.
NU head coach Jeff Napa was just that and more as the Bulldogs wrapped up their UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball first round run with a much-needed 78-68 win over reeling Ateneo to snap a four-game losing streak.
Surprisingly driven to tears by his alma mater’s incredible support despite suffering multiple last-second defeats, the former NU star player let it be known that his team is coming back in the eliminations’ second round with a vengeance, ready to erase the pain of a forgettable opening month.
“This support is a morale boost. As true-blooded Nationalians, we’re proud of the fact that despite the struggles, you’re all still here believing in us,” an emotional Napa said in Filipino after the NU Mall of Asia campus sent 1,350 students to support the reeling Bulldogs last Saturday, October 5.
UAAP | WATCH:
True blue Nationalian.
NU legend player and head coach Jeff Napa breaks down in tears, thanking the Bulldogs’ faithful for sticking with the team despite multiple heartbreaking losses to open #UAAPSeason87. pic.twitter.com/fHqqVWWYeE
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) October 5, 2024
Despite losing foreign student-athlete (FSA) Mo Diassana in the season’s very first game, the Bulldogs tenaciously fought through the first round, albeit with a scourge of unlucky breaks: four crunch-time setbacks against La Salle (78-75), UST (67-64), UE (57-51), and Adamson (60-58) for a 2-5 record in total.
In that challenging span, Napa found solace in his scrappy core of locals, including frontcourt standouts Jake Figueroa, Ken Padrones, and Jolo Manansala, and floor generals Steve Nash Enriquez and Reinhard Jumamoy.
As evidenced by the string of close losses, NU’s record is, in fact, the most misleading stat it currently holds, as the all-heart Bulldogs are actually second in fewest turnovers (14.0), third in points off turnovers (11.7) and fourth in second chance points (10.3) and points per game (64.3).
NU’s only glaring weaknesses are its dead-last fouls per game (23.4), and seventh-ranked assists (12.7) and blocks (2.3). Multiple stats still point to the Bulldogs being a middle-of-the-pack team and thus, a fringe Final Four contender.
“I’ve asked myself what the problem is, if it’s in the team or in me,” Napa continued. “But the players continued stepping up, including guys like [Padrones] who don’t give up despite being undersized.”
“We’re really thankful of the community’s support as this helps us have better performances by the second round. My players know we’re frustrated, but we take away the negatives, and just focus on the positives even though we’re there at the bottom.”
By the second round, the Bulldogs simply need the lucky breaks to finally fall their way. Even likely without an FSA moving forward, NU has proven, ironically through its losses, that it can swing games in its favor just as easily.
These hungry Bulldogs only need that small window to pounce, and the rest of the UAAP should know better by now. – Rappler.com
