national university
National University (NU) matched defending champion Ateneo de Manila University’s immaculate 4-0 record on Saturday by ripping apart De La Salle-Zobel quintet, 74-62 to share the top spot in the 73rd UAAP juniors basketball tournament at the San Juan Arena.
Banking on its cerebral quarterbacking, hustle and quickness, NU ably neutralized the taller and heftier Junior Archers’ patented halfcourt trapping defense with a spate of fastbreak lay-ups, resulting in 30 transition points that proved too much for the visibly lost Season 72 runners-up who only managed 7 points in the entire third quarter.
Equally hurting La Salle was the Bullpups’ 20 assists mostly from outlet feeds which repeatedly forced the Junior Archers to give up cheap fouls to break the transition play.
With his shooting guns triggering one run after the other, burly guard Roque Estoce again led the Bullpups on a near-flawless 3-of-4 sniping from beyond en route to a team-high 23 points plus 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks.
The Bullpups unleashed a dizzying 18-2 salvo bridging the third and fourth quarters to post the biggest lead of the game at 58-28 and virtually lock the count in favor of NU.
Yet La Salle did not surrender without a fight as the Junior Archers went on an 8-2 surge to inch closer at 61-48. But 2 free throws and a jumper form Jonel Parungao kept the Junior Archers at bay, 65-48, with 4:17 left to play.
La Salle finalized the tally by clustering 8 straight points, including 6 from the stripe.
Alexander Torres led the Junior Archers with 28 points while Joseph Tempongko added 10.
Estoce got ample support from Parungao and Kevin Lara who chipped in 18 and 10 points, respectively. Prior to NU’s clinical dismantling of La Salle, the Eaglets grounded the low-flying Adamson University Baby Falcons, 78-61, in the third game with Ateneo big man Von Pessumal registering a career-high 23 points on top of 9 rebounds and 3 assists.
In other matches, University of Santo Tomas walloped University of the Philippines Integrated School, 120-69, behind the 37-point, 11-rebound explosion of Kevin Ferrer, while Far Eastern University trounced University of the East, 93-68.
