Not this time! Bulldogs avert end-game collapse, force do-or-die game vs. Eagles
The National University Bulldogs forced a do-or-die game against the Ateneo Blue Eagles with a 78-74 victory to start the UAAP Final Four, Wednesday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Jay Alejandro exploded off the bench as he scored 20 points on 6 of 7 shooting from the field. Alejandro tag-teamed with Gelo Alolino to seal the win for the Bulldogs amidst another searing fourth-quarter run from the Eagles.
The Bulldogs had a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter but the Eagles chipped away at it until it was all gone. Nico Elorde nailed a triple with only 1:14 left in the game to give Ateneo a 72-71 lead.
Instead of falling apart, the Bulldogs stayed together. Instead of quitting on their season, the Bulldogs forced a sudden death game.
Alejandro and Alolino scored on four straight free throws for NU off two fouls from Kiefer Ravena to reclaim the lead. The King Eagle made up for it by making a basket with 23.7 seconds left for a 75-74 count in favor of NU.
The Blue Eagles tried to foul Kyle Neypes on the next play but the Elorde ended up fouling Alolino. The heady point guard swished two free throws to put pressure on Ateneo. Ravena then went for a long triple but it fell short.
Henry Betayene sealed the NU’s win with a split from the line.
NU and Ateneo will battle again on Wednesday to see which team will move on to the UAAP Finals.
Ravena led the Blue Eagles with 25 points, six rebounds, and three assists on the contest although he struggled mightily from the field with 9 of 35 shooting clip. Chris Newsome had 14 points, seven rebounds, and four assists while Elorde added 12 markers.
The Bulldogs shot an astounding 65% from the field in the first quarter to build a 44-32 advantage.
Glenn Khobuntin led NU with 11 points at the half while Alejandro added nine points on 100% shooting from the field and the line. Alfred Aroga was an anchor once again for the Bulldogs as he had seven points and eight rebounds at in the first 20 minutes as the Bulldogs built their lead.
A fastbreak layup from Alolino stretched NU’s lead up to 15 points at 68-53 with 8:04 left in the game.
Ateneo used the next five minutes to move closer. Ravena nailed a triple for Ateneo at the 3:09 mark to cut their deficit down to 7 at 68-61 for one last comeback attempt. Newsome added two more free throws to complete a 10-0 for the Blue Eagles.
Alolino finally halted the bleeding as he scored a free throw but Newsome responded with a three-point play to cut NU’s lead down to three, 69-66.
Alejando replied with another split from the line but Ravena sank a corner three to get the Eagles within one. Betayene scored another split from the line and Elorde made them pay with a triple to give Ateneo a 72-71 lead with 1:14 left.
However, unlike in their last game, the Eagles’ comeback bid fell short.
The Main Man: Alejandro played his best game in the biggest stage of his UAAP career. He was unstoppable specially in the first half as NU pulled away.
Honorable Mentions: NU got good games from Alolino who scored 16 points in the game. Their import Aroga also made a good account of himself as he scored 11 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Troy Rosario scored only six points in the game but also got 13 rebounds.
Game Turning Point: NU held on to their collective breath until Ravena’s miss with less than 10 seconds left in the ball game. With five seconds remaining, the Bulldogs still needed an assurance free throw, which Betayene provided.
He Said It:
NU head coach Eric Altamirano: I’m proud of the boys. They held on. They kept their composure and they made their free throws:
The scores:
NU 78: Alejandro 20, Alolino 16, Khobuntin 12, Aroga 11, Rosario 6, Diputado 5, Javelona 4, Neypes 2, Betayene 2, Perez 0.
Ateneo 74: Ravena 25, Newsome 14, Elorde 12, Pessumal 7, Capacio 6, Tolentino 6, Gotladera 3, Ravena 2, Babilonia 0, Doliguez 0, Porter 0.
Quarters: 24-14, 44-32, 60-50, 78-74.
