League leader NU battles in-form UP to start UAAP 88 second round

Games on Wednesday
(Mall of Asia Arena)
8 a.m. – UE vs NU (Women)
10 a.m. – ADU vs DLSU (Women)
noon – UP vs UST (Women)
2 p.m. – FEU vs Ateneo (Men)
4:30 p.m. – NU vs UP (Men)
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
8 a.m. – FEU-D vs Ateneo (JHS Boys)
10 a.m. – NUNS vs UPIS (JHS Boys)
noon – ADU vs UE (JHS Boys)
2 p.m. – DLSZ vs UST (JHS Boys)
4 p.m. – FEU vs Ateneo (Women)

LEAGUE LEADER National University (NU) faces a tall order right away against title holder University of the Philippines (UP) to start the pivotal second round of the UAAP Season 88 men’s basketball tournaments on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Game time is at 4:30 p.m. with the Bulldogs (6-1) wanting no let-up of the driver’s seat after an impressive first-round campaign with only one defeat to complete a turnaround from its Final Four miss last year. Skidding Ateneo de Manila University (4-3) and Far Eastern University (2-5) battle at 2 p.m.

The NU Bulldogs’ lone scar came against the UP Fighting Maroons (4-3), losing a 13-point second-half lead en route to a 66-59 defeat to position themselves for a sweet payback bid.

This time, NU will need more resilience and composure than it ever showcased in the first round despite being on top, with an expected in-form UP offense that’s slowly heating up after a flat 0-2 start.

“We have to refuel for the second round. What’s important is how we recover from those adversities,” warned coach Jeff Napa after his wards hacked out a gutsy 71-66 overtime win over Ateneo to end the round.

Team captain and senior guard Jake Figueroa has been leading the Bulldogs’ march to the top so far behind MVP numbers but the entire pack must step up this time against the Fighting Maroons out to avenge a deflating loss to rival De La Salle University in rematch of last year’s finals.

UP, then on a four-game winning streak, absorbed a 72-69 loss to the depleted La Salle sans Mason Amos and Kean Baclaan due to MCL injuries to settle joint third place with the latter and Ateneo entering the second stage.

For mentor Goldwin Monteverde, the Fighting Maroons must plot their moves now especially behind a tightrope derby to the Final Four headlined by NU and University of Santo Tomas (5-2). — John Bryan Ulanday