Reinhard Jumamoy shot just 4-for-18 from the field, but it barely mattered. His 14 points still led National University to a 72-64 win over University of the Philippines on Saturday, September 26.

The victory, forged at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, marked NU’s second straight in the UAAP Season 89 men’s basketball tournament. It also pushed the Bulldogs into a three-way tie for first place.

NU’s Fast Start Survives a Late UP Scare

NU exploded out of the gate, racing to a 21-4 start that stunned the Fighting Maroons early. Rookie Mac Alfanta, Paul Francisco, Mo Diassana, and PJ Palacielo all chipped in during the surge.

That fast start proved decisive, even as UP clawed back late. The Bulldogs never relinquished the lead, holding on for a wire-to-wire victory.

Francisco delivered NU’s biggest cushion of the game with 6:08 left. He stole an inbound pass and converted a free layup to push the lead to 64-46.

UP refused to fold, however, and answered with a furious push. Miguel Yñiguez drilled a four-point play, then buried another triple to trim the deficit to nine, 68-59, with 1:24 remaining.

The Bulldogs weathered that storm and closed out the statement win. Jumamoy’s inefficient shooting night did nothing to slow his overall impact on the floor.

He finished with five rebounds, five assists, and two steals to go with his team-high 14 points. Francisco backed him up with 11 points, six steals, four rebounds, and three assists.

Diassana added 10 points and eight rebounds, while Alfanta added 13 points. Palacielo rounded out the balanced attack with nine points, five rebounds, and four assists.

NU, UP, Ateneo Now Share UAAP Standings Lead

With the win, NU improved to 2-1 on the season and pulled UP down to the same mark. Ateneo de Manila University also sits at 2-1, giving the UAAP a crowded logjam atop the standings.

Arvie Poyos spearheaded UP’s response with 13 points, four assists, and three steals. Veejay Pre added 11 points for the Fighting Maroons.

UP’s top scorers, though, were held largely in check all afternoon. Francis Nnoruka finished with six points on five field-goal attempts, James Payosing scored six points on just one shot, and Noy Remogat managed three points on nine attempts.

NU will look to stretch its win streak to three next Saturday against Ateneo. The showdown is set for the Philsports Arena in Pasig.

UP, meanwhile, gets a quick chance to regroup on Sunday, Oct. 4. The Fighting Maroons face Far Eastern University, also at Philsports Arena.