We went through it all: The story of the UAAP champion NU Bulldogs

After scoring 24 points and grabbing 18 rebounds to lead the National University Bulldogs to their first UAAP men's basketball title in 60 years, Alfred Aroga put the whole season into context.

 

"Teams that win championships have a story, and we have a story," said the Cameroonian center. "We went through it all."

 

Aroga's story with the Bulldogs began even before last season. Serving out his residency, he watched as the top-seeded NU squad, led by the best player in the league Ray Parks, fell in two games to University Santo Tomas in the semifinals.

 

With the departure of Parks, expectations for NU went down a few notches. But a quick start for the Bulldogs gave them confidence that maybe, just maybe, they could go all the way.

 

"We don't need stars in this team to win the championship," said Aroga.

 

But at the end of the first round, the team seemingly found its kryptonite, dropping a 71-62 result to Far Eastern University, a defeat that put the Bulldogs in fourth place after an early stint at the top of the standings.

 

The Bulldogs remained ensconced among the top four teams, until the squad suffered a major setback. A loss at the hands of red-hot University of the East pulled NU just outside the safety zone of a final four spot.

 

We have a story. We went through it all.

 

To get into the playoffs, the Bulldogs had to face the dangerous Red Warriors, the hottest team in the league after sweeping their last five games to force a do-or-die match.

 

The game fittingly went down the wire. Ultimately, it was Aroga who nailed the crucial endgame free throws that booked the Bulldogs their ticket to the final four.

 

We have a story. We went through it all.

 

But the do-or-die challenge wasn't quite over for NU.

 

 

NU went into the semifinals as a huge underdog against the top seeded Ateneo de Manila University squad led by season Most Valuable Player Kiefer Ravena. To get to the finals, the Bulldogs had to beat the Blue Eagles not once, but twice. 

 

But despite Ateneo's stellar record, NU matched up well, with the Bulldogs sweeping the Blue Eagles in their two elimination round matches. 

 

In their first game, the Bulldogs held off an Ateneo comeback to force the win-or-go-home match. The second game of the series was an instant classic, coming down the wire. With nine seconds remaining, NU led by a single basket, 65-63.

 

Then a power failure occured inside the Araneta Coliseum, causing a lengthy delay before Ateneo's final play. It was perhaps the longest nine seconds ever in the history of Philippine basketball.

 

We have a story. We went through it all.

 

In the end, Aroga played the hero for NU once more, blocking Ravena's final attempt and giving the Bulldogs a seat in the finals.

 

But once more, the Bulldogs found themselves playing the role of underdogs against the Tamaraws, having lost twice to FEU in the eliminations. 

 

And the Tamaraws reasserted their mastery of the Bulldogs in Game One, fashioning out a 75-70 victory.

 

After the game, NU coach Eric Altamirano was asked about how FEU seemed to found kryptonite to neutralize the Bulldogs on the court.

 

"Kailangan natin si Superman diyan," Altamirano answered in jest. "Tago natin 'yung kryptonite."

 

We have a story. We went through it all.

 

But in Game Two, it was NU that seemingly used kryptonite on the potent FEU offense, limiting the Tamaraws to 59 points for a 16-point win.

 

And in Game Three, Altamirano found his Superman in the form of Aroga, the quiet, reliable center who scored his career-high in the season's ultimate game.

 

"I'm thankful that we got Alfred. He's not just a good player. He's a great guy," said Altamirano.

 

After the game, Aroga was quick to dispel any notion that he was solely responsible for the win. Instead, he was quick to credit the defense of the Bulldogs — the true kryptonite that they had used to break the 60-year championship drought.

 

"Offense is not gonna win us championship," Aroga said. "Defense is gonna win us championship." — JST, GMA News