(From GMA News)
Determination and heart helped Far Eastern University (FEU) avoid being a victim of the league's perennial doormat turned-Final-Four-contender. For National University, it was a case of celebrating too early.
Games Today
(PhilSports Arena)
2 p.m. Ateneo vs UST
4 p.m. UE vs La Salle
The FEU Tamaraws rallied from a seven-point fourth quarter deficit to score a thrilling 76-72 win over the hard-fighting Bulldogs of NU in the 73rd UAAP men's basketball tournament on Saturday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
"We expect the game to be tough since NU has nothing to lose and they were playing against an FEU team that’s ‘a title contender/No. 1 team on paper’. All the teams wanted to challenge us," said Tams coach Glenn Capacio.
It was the second straight win for the Tams, ranked as the team who can foil two-time defending champion Ateneo's three-peat bid, as they survived the gallant stand put up by the vastly-improved Bulldogs, who fell to a 1-2 record.
Sophomore guard RR Garcia had a five-point swing in a 12-2 closing exchange as the Tams turned a 68-61 deficit to a 73-70 advantage with one minute and 13 seconds left in the final period.
NU, fresh from a 66-59 win over La Salle on Thursday, seemed headed for an upset when it posted that seven-point lead 4:31 left in the final period. They could have gone up by nine if not for Kokoy Hermosisima’s missed lay up try.
FEU capitalized on NU’s missed opportunity with rookie Terrence Romeo draining a three-pointer to touch-off the Tams’ scoring run.
NU's Kokoy Hermosisima (right) tries to keep the ball away while being tightly-guarded by FEU's Christopher Exciminiano during their game in the 73rd UAAP men's basketball tournament on Saturday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City. GMANews.TV
The Bulldogs threatened for the last time, 73-72, courtesy of Hermosisima’s inside incursion with 56.7 seconds left in the clock.
But luck wasn’t on NU’s side with their shot attempts, the last two free throws by Hermosisima, failed to find its target while Garcia’s charities and a Reil Cervantes split at the stripe iced the game for FEU.
FEU seemed headed for an easy win when it zoomed to a 21-41 lead after 10 minutes of play.
But NU, behind Hermosisima’s hot shooting in the second period, kept the game close as the Bulldogs entered the halftime break staring at a 37-36 deficit.
Mervin Baloran gave NU its first taste of the lead, 40-39, early in the third before Joseph Terso made seven straight points for a 47-44 count.
Cervantes paced the Tams’ scoring with 20 points to go with his seven rebounds and one blocked while Garcia tallied 18 markers (7-of-14 from the field) and four assists. Romeo added 11 off the bench.
Hermosisima scored 14 of his game-high 23 points in the first half to lead NU’s losing cause. He shot 4-of-5 from the three-point area in the first 20 minutes of the contest but struggled in the last two quarters.
Khobuntin finished with 14 points while Terso added 11. Rookie big man Emmanuel Mbe was limited by the FEU defense to eight points and seven rebounds after a 21-point and 19-rebound effort in their win against La Salle.
Showing posts with label National University Bulldogs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label National University Bulldogs. Show all posts
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Thursday, July 8, 2010
UAAP preview: Bulldogs out to provide more bite than bark
(From GMA News)
People passing by a refurbished building in F. Jhocson St. in Sampaloc, Manila, will see a refreshing outlook that erases the stigma of the school’s losing tradition.
Yes, there’s an air of vibrancy inside National University, whose basketball team has been revitalized and given a new identity.
A new management. A new coach. A new attitude.
Definitely, the Bulldogs are ready to do more bite than bark in this season’s UAAP men’s basketball tournament.
“The support of the management is overwhelming. They’ve provided us everything that we need," said NU’s first-year coach Eric Gonzales. “The bottom line is, a good institution with a good program with a good budget will become a good school."
Since the SM Group of Companies took over the school, the Bulldogs have set their minds on how they can get out of the cellar.
The team has been a perennial tailender and has the longest title drought, stretching over 56 years.
Gonzales was a former assistant coach in some of the major basketball leagues like the PBA, the MBA, UAAP and NCAA. His first head coaching job will be tested this season.
“It’s not easy as far as transition is concerned. But I’m trying to develop good relationship with the players," said Gonzales.
From being the acknowledged whipping boys of the league, Gonzales wants his team to develop a new identity – to become the best defensive team in the league.
“We take pride on that. Majority of our practices, we’re focusing on defense. The only way to be a contender is to be the number one defensive team in the league. That’s what we are focusing on," said Gonzales.
The Bulldogs had a busy off season as they trained in Indiana with noted coach Ed Schilling, who is the camp director of the Champions Academy.
The Bulldogs also fared well in pre-season tournaments.
The Bulldogs will have six new breed on their roster, including Cameroonian Emmanuel Mbe, a six-foot-five slotman, who will anchor the team’s interior defense.
“He is a monster inside," said Gonzales of Mbe, who once played for Emilio Aguinaldo College.
Seniors Jewel Ponferrada and Mervin Baloran, the top rebounders of the team last season, will share frontcourt duties with Embe, while Kokoy Hermosisima, the sophomore guard, is expected to provide the scoring sock for NU.
Senior Jerome Tungcul and juniors Joseph Terso and Marion Magat will most likely play vital roles so are Ajeet Singh and Larry Malanday.
Other rookies include Yvan Ludovice from San Beda, Jeoffrey Javillonar from Rizal Technological University, Paolo Javelona from Bacolod, Glen Khobuntin from Letran and Joseph Eriobu, another Cameroonian.
Gonzales sees the Bulldogs as a special team that is ready to erase its long years of miseries.
“They are special. I can see the fire in their eyes and the winner within them. They still have to mature, but we are fast tracking that," said Gonzales.
People passing by a refurbished building in F. Jhocson St. in Sampaloc, Manila, will see a refreshing outlook that erases the stigma of the school’s losing tradition.
Yes, there’s an air of vibrancy inside National University, whose basketball team has been revitalized and given a new identity.
A new management. A new coach. A new attitude.
Definitely, the Bulldogs are ready to do more bite than bark in this season’s UAAP men’s basketball tournament.
“The support of the management is overwhelming. They’ve provided us everything that we need," said NU’s first-year coach Eric Gonzales. “The bottom line is, a good institution with a good program with a good budget will become a good school."
Since the SM Group of Companies took over the school, the Bulldogs have set their minds on how they can get out of the cellar.
The team has been a perennial tailender and has the longest title drought, stretching over 56 years.
Gonzales was a former assistant coach in some of the major basketball leagues like the PBA, the MBA, UAAP and NCAA. His first head coaching job will be tested this season.
“It’s not easy as far as transition is concerned. But I’m trying to develop good relationship with the players," said Gonzales.
From being the acknowledged whipping boys of the league, Gonzales wants his team to develop a new identity – to become the best defensive team in the league.
“We take pride on that. Majority of our practices, we’re focusing on defense. The only way to be a contender is to be the number one defensive team in the league. That’s what we are focusing on," said Gonzales.
The Bulldogs had a busy off season as they trained in Indiana with noted coach Ed Schilling, who is the camp director of the Champions Academy.
The Bulldogs also fared well in pre-season tournaments.
The Bulldogs will have six new breed on their roster, including Cameroonian Emmanuel Mbe, a six-foot-five slotman, who will anchor the team’s interior defense.
“He is a monster inside," said Gonzales of Mbe, who once played for Emilio Aguinaldo College.
Seniors Jewel Ponferrada and Mervin Baloran, the top rebounders of the team last season, will share frontcourt duties with Embe, while Kokoy Hermosisima, the sophomore guard, is expected to provide the scoring sock for NU.
Senior Jerome Tungcul and juniors Joseph Terso and Marion Magat will most likely play vital roles so are Ajeet Singh and Larry Malanday.
Other rookies include Yvan Ludovice from San Beda, Jeoffrey Javillonar from Rizal Technological University, Paolo Javelona from Bacolod, Glen Khobuntin from Letran and Joseph Eriobu, another Cameroonian.
Gonzales sees the Bulldogs as a special team that is ready to erase its long years of miseries.
“They are special. I can see the fire in their eyes and the winner within them. They still have to mature, but we are fast tracking that," said Gonzales.
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