Bulldogs Bite Fancied Archers

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE 2) – The National University (NU) Bulldogs are no longer the league’s whipping boys.

The Bulldogs pounded out a huge 59-55 victory Thursday over opening day winner and host De La Salle University Green Archers in the UAAP Season 73 at the Philsports Arena.

Cameroonian Emmanuel Mbe threw his weight inside as NU dominated the game early on and weathered the Archers’ furious rally.

Mbe scored 21 points and grabbed 19 rebounds as no one from La Salle could contain the 6-foot-8 behemoth inside the shaded lane.

The Bulldogs got a big scare when the Archers scored 3 straight three-pointers in a span of 18 seconds in the final minute of the game.

The Bulldogs nearly squandered a 55-46 lead as Simon Atkins, rookie Luigi dela Paz and Joseph Tolentino scored a triple each to cut down the deficit to four, 55-59, in the last 10.6 seconds.

Time, however, was not on the Archers’ side, as the Bulldogs made it two in a row against them since last season and gave rookie coach Eric Gonzales his first win as a head coach.

“Masaya ako pero hindi overwhelming. Tingin ko dapat hindi na naka-iskor ang La Salle ng tatlong dikit na tres,” Gonzales said.

“Ang goal namin is to become the league’s no. 1 defensive team. Our target is to limit them (Archers) to 45 points,” Gonzales added.

The Bulldogs showed what their new mentor has been preaching, controlling the tempo of the game from the onset.

Mbe scored 10 in the opening period as NU limited La Salle to just 10 points.

The new-look Bulldogs held down the Archers to just 34.8 percent shooting and dominated the boards 46-36.

The Archers could not flaunt the form which gave them an 80-62 victory over the UP Fighting Maroons last Saturday, in front of the Bulldogs’ grind-out defense.

La Salle, behind its vaunted pressure defense came back in the second canto, momentarily grabbing the lead at the turn, 24-23, in the low scoring game.

That proved to be the last taste of the lead for the Archers as Mbe led the Bulldogs’ breakaway in the 3rd quarter with eight points.

The Bulldogs seized the game’s biggest lead, 41-30, on Jeoffrey Javillonar’s basket towards the end of the 3rd canto.

The Archers, who looked like the squad that failed to make it to the Final Four last season, was led by Jovet Mendoza’s 10 points. No other Archer scored in double figures.

The Scores:

NU 59 – Mbe 21, Terso 8, Ponferrada, Khobuntin 6, Hermosisima 6, Baloran 4, Javillonar 2, Ludovice 0, Malanday 0, Magat 0.

DLSU 55 – Mendoza 10, Atkins 9, Andrada 7, Elorde 6, Dela Paz 6, Vosotros 5, Webb 5, Tolentino 3, Villanueva 2, Ferdinand 2, Tampus 0, Paredes 0, Marata 0, Banal 0.

Quarters: 17-10, 23-24, 41-30, 59-55.

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