MANILA, Philippines – The National University (NU) Bulldogs will try to arrest a five-game losing streak and keep their Final Four bid alive when they take on the University of the Philippines (UP) on Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum.
Considered a potential Finals contender at the start of the UAAP Season 79 tournament, NU has plummeted in the league standings. The Bulldogs (4-7) are now in fifth place, 1.5 games behind the Adamson University Falcons.
NU was outplayed by Ateneo de Manila University last Sunday, 50-65, in another contest that saw the Bulldogs struggle on the offensive end. Only J-Jay Alejandro, with 13 points, finished in double-digits for NU. As a team they shot 31.37% from the field and missed 13 of their 28 free throws.
Meanwhile, the Fighting Maroons are coming off a heartbreaking 60-63 setback against Far Eastern University last Saturday, despite leading by 20 points in the first quarter.
UP failed to sustain its hot start, then failed to execute in the closing stretches. Nevertheless, at 3-8, they are still in the running for a Final Four berth.
"If we want to have a chance to be in the Final Four, we have to perform not only one step higher, but two steps, three steps higher," UP coach Bo Perasol said after the loss. "We need to realize that as a team."
Perasol was admittedly displeased with how his players let a golden opportunity slip away, but knows that they cannot dwell on the loss for too long.
"We need to learn from this mistake, and just focus on the game," he said.
Game time is at 4 p.m.
Meanwhile, league-leading La Salle (11-0) will look to crush the Final Four hopes of University of the East (2-8) in the first game of the double-header at 2 p.m.
The Green Archers put on another dominant display on Sunday, routing University of Santo Tomas 99-56 to formally secure a twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four.
La Salle defeated UE 84-78 when they met in the first round, but assistant coach Paulo Sauler said they cannot take any team for granted, even the struggling Red Warriors.
"(All teams) are gonna give us a big fight. We can't take any team for granted. We can't overlook a team because of their win-loss record," said Sauler, who addressed the media on Sunday in the place of head coach Aldin Ayo.
"We just have to continue to play the way we've been playing, to play as a team, and to keep building the team," he added.
UE is coming off a 71-79 loss against Adamson, a contest that got away from them in the third quarter after keeping in step with the Falcons in the first half.
The Red Warriors will be fighting for their Final Four hopes against La Salle, as another loss will bring them closer to elimination.
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