Not many expected National University to go this far in the 18th PlayTime Cares Filoil EcoOil Preseason Cup presented by ABC Tile Adhesive.
With a frustrating exit from Final Four contention in UAAP Season 87 and a shaky 0-2 start in this preseason tournament, the Bulldogs looked like a team stuck in transition.
The odds were stacked. The expectations were low. But inside the NU camp, there was no panic — only a belief in the process.
“We just played our game. Kung ano yung pilosopiya namin, yun ang ginawa namin. So the direction sa players is to just concentrate on our system,” said head coach Jeff Napa.
That belief has proven to be the glue that’s kept the Bulldogs intact.
The turning point? The return of senior Jake Figueroa, who immediately injected confidence and stability into NU.
With Figueroa back in the fold, the Bulldogs found their rhythm and got momentum-building wins — first against Far Eastern University to close out the group stage, then against Letran in the crossover quarterfinals.
Most recently, they came out on top against a revamped University of Santo Tomas in the semifinals, 96-84.
NU is now one win away from reclaiming the Filoil crown it last won in 2022.
Standing in its way: the defending UAAP champion University of the Philippines.
While critics questioned them earlier in the tournament, NU has responded with chemistry — built not just during this run, but over the past few months of preparation.
Long before this final appearance, the Bulldogs had already started laying the groundwork for their comeback.
Last May, NU topped the U-Belt Cup, one of the first preseason tournaments, proving early that it still had bite.
Then, during the Filoil tournament break, the team traveled to China to compete in the 11th Xiamen International Elite University Basketball Championship — and brought home the championship trophy.
“This preseason is more on us, yung preparation namin talaga,” Napa said.
“Namo-motivate lalo yung players namin, and it makes us want to play better. Pero simula pa lang ito at mahaba pa ang preparation. Kailangan lang naming maging ready sa kung ano mang laban na darating.”
The Bulldogs have been through distractions and doubt, yet kept their focus on those who stayed and believed.
“Wala naman akong pakialam kahit anong mangyari. Kung ano yung nandyan sa amin, yan ang kailangan paghandaan. Hindi ko na iniintindi kung ano man yung nangyari whatsoever. Lagi lang kaming move forward,” Napa said.
“Thankful lang ako at mga players sa mga naniniwala, sa community, sa mga boss namin, si Sir Manny Sy who is always here to support, na kahit anong mangyari, di kami pinapabayaan.”
