NU Bulldogs’ Jake Figueroa during a UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball game against UST Growling Tigers. –UAAP PHOTO

The National University (NU) Bulldogs did their talking on the court. Coach Jeff Napa did his off of it after that to make sure they drove home their point.

“No. 1, for those who don’t believe that we defeated UP, this is the follow-up to that,” Napa said after the Bulldogs brought down another favorite in University of Santo Tomas (UST), 67-62, in men’s basketball action of UAAP Season 87 at Mall of Asia Arena Wednesday night.

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“That wasn’t luck, okay? UP wasn’t unlucky, [it’s just that] we played the right way. As simple as that,” added Napa in Filipino, visibly irked that his charges didn’t get the credit they deserved after dealing the Fighting Maroons a 20-point beating last week when they snapped a six-game losing streak.

“We played the right way again and defeated UST. It’s as simple as that,” he said. ”I’m just irritated because the efforts of the players are getting disregarded. You can see the efforts of the players [every game].”

Napa talked with so much pride after the game, for not only was he able to shove it up the team’s critics, the Bulldogs are suddenly back in the hunt for an improbable seat in the Final Four.

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With the results in the last three playdates, only No. 1 La Salle and second-running UP are assured of Final Four slots, with the Archers having the chance to seal No. 1 with a victory over the Fighting Maroons on Saturday.

University of the East is running third at 6-5 and the Growling Tigers fourth at 5-7. Adamson is at fifth at the moment at 4-7 with Far Eastern and National U holding 4-8 records. Ateneo is at the tail end of the pack at 3-8.

UE has inside track

The Warriors can claim No. 3 with a win over the Tigers also on Saturday and in that case, with Santo Tomas still not getting a sixth win, the Soaring Falcons, Bulldogs, Tamaraws and even the Blue Eagles can catch up to create a five-team tie for No. 4 that will be broken via a stepladder playoffs.

It’s a far-fetched, yet possible, scenario but the Bulldogs are basking in their rediscovered brilliance.

“We were affected by the doubters a little,” Jolo Manansala, who led NU with 18 points and seven rebounds, said. “But we just ignored them. [For us], a win is a win.”

“It feels good to defeat stronger teams, the big boys,” Jake Figueroa said after scoring 13 points and pulling down 11 rebounds. “We want to relive the time when we were also one of the big boys.”