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Kenshin Padrones and Jake Figueroa conspire with wonderful performances to bury NU’s skid of a number of heartbreaks on the expense of reeling Ateneo, which now sits on the backside of the UAAP males’s basketball standings
MANILA, Philippines – After 4 straight video games of shut shaves and heartbreaks, the NU Bulldogs are lastly again within the UAAP Season 87 males’s basketball winners’ circle after taking down the listless Ateneo Blue Eagles, 78-68, on the Mall of Asia Enviornment on Saturday, October 5.
Position participant Kenshin Padrones performed like a bona fide star when his staff wanted him essentially the most, powering by way of with a career-high 18 factors on 7-of-12 taking pictures to go along with 6 rebounds as NU rose to a 2-5 file and despatched reeling Ateneo on the backside of the standings with a 1-6 slate.
Do-it-all ahead Jake Figueroa likewise had one in every of his finest video games for the season, dropping 15 factors on a 4-of-7 clip and 6-of-6 from the road with 7 boards and a game-high 4 assists, whereas veterans Steve Nash Enriquez and Jolo Manansala scored 9 and eight, respectively.
“Lastly. Not less than we had been capable of break our heartbreaking skid,” NU head coach Jeff Napa stated in Filipino. “Hopefully, this win will give us confidence heading to the second spherical. We’re nonetheless adjusting, however I nonetheless give credit score to the gamers as a result of they compete regardless of the result’s.”
Coming off a 34-28 halftime lead, NU seized full momentum of the competition with an 18-8 surge to begin the third quarter, capped with a pair of Figueroa free throws for a 14-point peak separation, 52-38, with 2:18 left within the body.
Though Ateneo regrouped effectively within the fourth with a barrage of Andrew Bongo threes and a Kyle Gamber lengthy bomb to inch inside 5, 58-63, with 6:14 to play, the Bulldogs remained unfazed and held the fort down with a fast 6-0 response to regain a double-digit lead, 69-58, with 4:40 left.
Figueroa then wrapped a bow on the sport within the final 3 minutes of regulation, following a layup on the 2:53 mark with a dagger trey 30 ticks later to mount a 13-point lead, 74-61, that Ateneo by no means recovered from.
Bongo had one of the best recreation of his younger Ateneo profession within the loss with 17 factors on a 5-of-10 clip from three, backstopped by 15 factors and 4 assists from standout rookie Jared Bahay because the Eagles slid to probably their worst first-round end within the Last 4 period.
Joshua Lazaro scattered 7 factors, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and a pair of blocks in 16 minutes, whereas captain Chris Koon continued his frigid streak with 2 factors on 1-of-8 taking pictures, only one recreation after going 0-of-8 in opposition to FEU.
The Scores
NU 78 – Padrones 18, Figueroa 15, Enriquez 9, Manansala 8, Garcia 7, Francisco 6, Palacielo 4, Jumamoy 4, Perciano 3, Dela Cruz 2, Lim 1, Santiago 1, Parks 0.
Ateneo 68 – Bongo 17, Bahay 15, Lazaro 7, Gamber 7, Balogun 6, Tuano 5, Espinosa 4, Koon 2, Quitevis 2, Espina 2, Ong 1, Porter 0.
Quarters: 15-13, 34-28, 58-46, 78-68.
– Rappler.com
