Less than three minutes were left in the game as the UP Fighting Maroons’ Henri Asilum hit a floater in transition to cut the NU Bulldogs’ lead to just three points, 63-60, to conclude a 7-0 run over the past two minutes. With the match and the defending champion Bulldogs’ Final Four hopes in the balance, star guard Gelo Alolino scored 10 straight points to seal the contest as NU went on to take a 75-69 win at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The loss eliminated the Fighting Maroons from Final Four contention while it moved the Bulldogs closer to the last semifinal seat. UP fell to 3-9 on the season while NU improved to 6-7.
“I was very happy with how we played today. The key was yung defense namin. We were really able to assert ourselves, especially in the fourth quarter,” shared NU head coach Eric Altamirano.
Both teams went back-and-forth in the first half, with neither leading by more than five points, but the Bulldogs came out of the gates running in the second half. NU led by as much as 12 points in the third period and took a 10 point edge entering the final quarter. The Fighting Maroons trimmed the lead to a low of three points in the last canto, but were unable to complete their rally.
Alolino finished the game with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists while Alfred Aroga tallied 15 points and 17 rebounds. Kyle Neypes and Reden Celda added seven apiece for the Bulldogs.
After the win, Altamirano praised the veteran Alolino and said, “There are so many things that we want him to do for us. Imagine, he’s our point guard but he’s the one scoring for us pa. I know it’s a big responsibility, but he lives up to it.”
UP’s charge was led by the duo of Jett Manuel and Diego Dario who both finished with 13 points and three rebounds each. Paul Desiderio and Agu Amar scored 10 and nine, respectively, while Cheick Kone had six points and 15 rebounds.
Up next for the Fighting Maroons are the struggling DLSU Green Archers who they will face on November 11 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs will take on the FEU Tamaraws in their regular season finale on November 14 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The scores:
NU 75: Alolino 26, Aroga 15, Neypes 7, Celda 7, Salim 6, Alejandro 4, Javillonar 3, Yu 3, Javelona 2, Morido 9, Diputado 0, Abatayo 0
UP 69: Manuel 13, Dario 13, Desiderio 19, Amar 9, Kone 6, Moralde 4, Asilum 4, Gallarza 4, Harris 2, Lim 2, Longa 2, Jaboneta 0, Juruena 0, Webb 0
Quarter scores: 13-18, 28-31, 52-42, 75-69
