There’s something special about this year’s NU Bulldogs.
They topped the UAAP Season 88 eliminations at 11-3, earning a twice-to-beat edge against the DLSU Green Archers in the Final Four. Few outside the NU community saw this coming—and that is exactly what makes this run feel special.
These Bulldogs are greater than the sum of their parts and are ticking all of the boxes that basketball purists look for in a team. They can play fast or slow and small or tall, all while running head coach Jeff Napa’s system to perfection. NU does not rely on a singular superstar to carry them to victory, even if the statistics show that senior forward Jake Figueroa has emerged as their undisputed best player this season.
Figueroa finished fourth in this season’s Most Valuable Player race, averaging 13.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 2.1 steals, and a block per game. The next highest Bulldogs in the statistical rankings are Omar John at 20th Jolo Manansala at 27th. Only Figueroa has a double digit scoring average this season, though six other NU players are scoring at least six points per game which highlights their depth.
This team-oriented approach is very much similar with that of the last Bulldogs team that won the UAAP championship in 2014. Back then, NU was largely overlooked due to the early departure of two-time UAAP MVP Ray Parks who decided to pursue his NBA aspirations. However, the team that remained banded together and overcame the odds to win it all.
That 2014 team was also led by a veteran forward, Troy Rosario, who, like Figueroa, thrived within the team’s system. They also had a lead guard with an inconsistent jumpshot, but elite basketball IQ in Gelo Alolino who very much resembles current starter Steve Nash Enriquez.
The Bulldogs’ run indeed feels like a case of deja vu, though they must first handle the task at hand. The Green Archers, who entered this season as the title favorites, are no pushover. They had an up-and-down season due to a prolonged getting-to-know-you phase and several injuries, yet still managed to win just enough games to qualify for the semifinal round.
Despite La Salle’s significant talent advantage on paper, NU swept their season series in convincing fashion. They controlled both games from start to finish as their suffocating defense choked off DLSU’s high-scoring offense.
The real test for the Bulldogs begins now.
With a twice-to-beat advantage and a season’s worth of repetitions, NU does not need to veer away from what brought them here. All that they need to beat the Green Archers is the same ruthless, collective precision that got them this far. The Bulldogs are in a prime position to reenter the UAAP finals for the first time since 2014 and win what would be just the school’s third championship ever.
In a league that is as unpredictable as the UAAP, destiny is taken—and NU looks ready to seize theirs by the collar.
