Junior Warriors regroup in time to take Game 1 over Bullpups
Using total team effort to dismantle a determined, confident foe, the University of the East on Thursday moved within another win of snapping an 11-year title drought in UAAP boys volleyball after a marathon conquest of National U Nazareth School.
And the Junior Warriors are now the ones flaunting some confidence, thanks to second-year coach Herbert Dizon.
“I really wanted them to have the confidence (to compete against NUNS),” Dizon said in Filipino after their 25-22, 21-25, 25-18, 23-25, 15-13 Game 1 win at Blue Eagle Gym, where the Junior Warriors even bungled a four-point lead in the deciding set.
The Bullpups were coming off a thrilling win over the University of Santo Tomas, where they apologized later on for making the crying gesture after hammering the Tiger Cubs in five sets.
And NUNS must now win Game 2 set this weekend for the Bullpups not to cry themselves.
It was the third straight five-set game for the Junior Warriors, counting the first game of their Final Four series with Far Eastern, that had UE exhausting its twice-to-beat playoff bonus.
Paul Roque led the Junior Warriors with 22 kills, Emmanuel Marcelino contributed 15 points and 24 receptions, while Clarence Gianan and Miguel Catanghal had 11 points each.
‘Everyone contributed’
Mharl Dullete added 30 excellent sets.
“Everyone contributed,” Gianan said in Filipino. “There were times when we lost focus, but we persevered and found ways to contribute.”
The Junior Warriors go for their first title since winning the last of 11 straight in 2014 on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the same venue.
Xandrex Ragusta had 18 points, including two kills during their rally from a 9-13 deficit in the fifth. Al-raquib Dais contributed eight blocks for a 13-point outing, while Christian Mangahoy also tallied 13 points.
UE goes for the jugular in Game 2 at 2 p.m. on Sunday at the same Katipunan venue.
