NU routs FEU to win first UAAP title in 60 years
By Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBNnews.com
MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE 3) The National University (NU) Bulldogs imposed their will on the Far Eastern University (FEU) Tamaraws to register a dominant 75-59 victory in the winners-take-all Game 3 of the UAAP Season 77 Finals, ending a 60-year championship drought in the process.
Cameroonian big man Alfred Aroga was simply unstoppable on both ends of the court, scoring 24 points while grabbing 18 rebounds and shutting down the paint to power the Bulldogs to an emotional victory Wednesday in front of a jubilant crowd at the Araneta Coliseum.
Three other players scored in double-digits for the Bulldogs, who had an impressive offensive outing, but again leaned on their stingy defense to shut down the Tamaraws in the second half of the contest.
"It's always hard, in a knockout game, and the one week (break) was the longest one week for me and for the team," NU head coach Eric Altamirano said after the game.
"We knew, coming into this season, that we will not have our key players. Except for (point guard) Gelo (Alolino), we lost our starters. We were trying to figure out what's gonna happen to this team," he said.
"We couldn't imagine that we would be champions this year."
It was NU's first UAAP championship since 1954.
The win completed a truly remarkable campaign for the Bulldogs, who played five do-or-die games in the Season 77 playoffs, and became only the first No. 4 seed in the Final Four era to go on to win the crown.
"It was really a long journey for us," Altamirano said. "But I think those playoff games helped us become stronger. The adversity that we went through, nagpalakas sa amin. Lalo kaming nagka-kumpyansa sa bawat isa. It really prepared us for Game 3."
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NU routs FEU to win first UAAP title in 60 years