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\nThe National University (NU) Bulldogs did their talking on the court. Coach Jeff Napa did his off of it after that to make sure they drove home their point.
\u201cNo. 1, for those who don\u2019t believe that we defeated UP, this is the follow-up to that,\u201d Napa said after the Bulldogs brought down another favorite in University of Santo Tomas (UST), 67-62, in men\u2019s basketball action of UAAP Season 87 at Mall of Asia Arena Wednesday night.
\u201cThat wasn\u2019t luck, okay? UP wasn\u2019t unlucky, [it\u2019s just that] we played the right way. As simple as that,\u201d added Napa in Filipino, visibly irked that his charges didn\u2019t get the credit they deserved after dealing the Fighting Maroons a 20-point beating last week when they snapped a six-game losing streak.
\u201cWe played the right way again and defeated UST. It\u2019s as simple as that,\u201d he said. \u201dI\u2019m just irritated because the efforts of the players are getting disregarded. You can see the efforts of the players [every game].\u201d
Napa talked with so much pride after the game, for not only was he able to shove it up the team\u2019s critics, the Bulldogs are suddenly back in the hunt for an improbable seat in the Final Four.
With the results in the last three playdates, only No. 1 La Salle and second-running UP are assured of Final Four slots, with the Archers having the chance to seal No. 1 with a victory over the Fighting Maroons on Saturday.
University of the East is running third at 6-5 and the Growling Tigers fourth at 5-7. Adamson is at fifth at the moment at 4-7 with Far Eastern and National U holding 4-8 records. Ateneo is at the tail end of the pack at 3-8.
The Warriors can claim No. 3 with a win over the Tigers also on Saturday and in that case, with Santo Tomas still not getting a sixth win, the Soaring Falcons, Bulldogs, Tamaraws and even the Blue Eagles can catch up to create a five-team tie for No. 4 that will be broken via a stepladder playoffs.
It\u2019s a far-fetched, yet possible, scenario but the Bulldogs are basking in their rediscovered brilliance.
\u201cWe were affected by the doubters a little,\u201d Jolo Manansala, who led NU with 18 points and seven rebounds, said. \u201cBut we just ignored them. [For us], a win is a win.\u201d
\u201cIt feels good to defeat stronger teams, the big boys,\u201d Jake Figueroa said after scoring 13 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. \u201cWe want to relive the time when we were also one of the big boys.\u201d<\/p>\n