Getting things done on both ends, NU looks to add UP to victims’ list
When people started raving about how the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournament wasn’t going to be a two-school race anymore, it was Ateneo and host University of Santo Tomas that bolstered their argument.
Slowly, National University is begging to differ.
And in a season where several games have been decided by the finest of margins, the Bulldogs have fueled their 3-0 (win-loss) slate with dominating performances on both ends of the floor.
NU, anchored on a league-best percentage from the floor (43.8), is the second-best offensive team in the league (77.3 points per game) and is the best among the eight schools in defense, surrendering just 54.7 ppg—a testament to the grit that the team brings every ball game
“Their character—I don’t question that anymore,” NU coach Jeff Napa said.
If there are any questions at all, they will come from defending champion University of the Philippines who are hoping to at least shut down at least half of NU’s two-way dominance, which the Bulldogs hope will carry them to a fourth straight victory.
The Maroons struggled to a 0-2 start in the season before finally getting their groove in a 92-75 rout of lowly University of the East.
“Winning in this way helps us realize how important it is to play together,” UP coach Goldwin Monteverde said. “It’s not just about talent. Quick decision-making and chemistry matter, too.”
But beating a winless team doesn’t quite pose the same challenge as trying to halt a juggernaut.
NU enters Saturday’s matchup against UP at University of Santo Tomas’ Quadricentennial Pavilion boasting the best net rating in the league at +12.7 points per game.
No team is within four points of that rating.
And NU is not just doing good on both ends of the court. The Bulldogs are great at turning stops into points.
Napa’s wards are leading the league in points scored off turnovers, averaging 19.3 per game. And despite being one of the worst three teams when it comes to protecting the leather, the Bulldogs have done a great job of running back on defense—surrendering just 7.7 points per game off their errors, best in the league.
That’s a +11.6 in turnover points—and again, no team is within four points of that.
The Bulldogs take the court against the Maroons after the opening game between UST and UE, which starts at 2 p.m.
