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UAAP: NU rookies ready for men's volleyball finals spotlight

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/sports/05/08/20190508_retamar.jpg"/><figcaption>NU&#x27;s rookie setter Joshua Retamar. Arvin Lim, <a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/uaap/volleyball/photos">ABS-CBN Sports</a></figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines – As National University (NU) heads into the UAAP men&#x27;s volleyball finals for the seventh season in a row, the focus is rightly on the Bulldogs&#x27; graduating players who are eyeing a fitting finale to their collegiate careers.Leading that group is Bryan Bagunas, the powerful open spiker who has been NU&#x27;s pillar of strength all throughout the Season 81 tournament. In his final season, Bagunas led the league in scoring with a total of 285 points, while converting 53.49% of his attempts. Also shining is towering middle blocker Kim Malabunga, who registered 8 kill blocks in NU&#x27;s straight sets win over Adamson University in the Final 4.Bagunas and Malabunga – along with veterans such as James Natividad and Francis Saura – are expected to take charge when the Bulldogs defend their title against Far Eastern University (FEU) in the best-of-3 finals that starts on Saturday.But NU also has a pair of rookies who are ready to step up and help their seniors.Nico Almendras and setter Joshua Retamar have given good account of themselves in their freshman year. Almendras finished as NU&#x27;s second leading scorer, with a total of 144 points, while converting 38.93% of his attempts. Retamar, a former Palarong Pambansa MVP, ranked second in the league among playmakers after averaging 7.40 excellent sets per set.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/uaap/news/2019/05/05/de-jesus-wishes-ust-reyes-good-luck-title-quest-56496">READ: De Jesus wishes UST, Reyes good luck in title quest</a></li></ul>&quot;Sobrang saya po kasi unang taon po namin ni Owa, napasabak po agad kami sa finals,&quot; said Almendras, after he scored 7 points in their Final 4 win over Adamson. &quot;Nagpapasalamat po kami sa mga teammates namin na andyan po palagi.&quot;Almendras admits that he and Retamar are beginning to feel the pressure, especially as they dearly hope to send their seniors off with a title.&quot;Siyempre po ano may pressure po kami ni Owa po. Kasi first time nga po namin (sa finals),&quot; he said. &quot;(Pero) kahit rookie pa lang po kami ni Owa, basta matulungan lang po &#x27;yung mga ga-graduate naming mga seniors po.&quot;For Retamar, the pressure is doubled given the importance of his position. He had endured an adjustment period at the start of his UAAP career, and struggled in their first game of the season – a straight-sets loss to FEU.&quot;Dahan-dahan ko po siyang nakukuha, eto po may maganda pong kinalabasan,&quot; said Retamar.Since their 12-25, 18-25, 17-25 setback to the Tamaraws, however, the Bulldogs have put together a 14-match winning streak – with their rookie capably pulling the strings of the offense.With his team needing just two more wins to annex a second straight title, Retamar said he will draw strength from his seniors and coaches, as he has done all season long.&quot;Sa part ko po, siyempre po setter, sobrang hirap po. So parang isa din po sa akin na nanggagaling &#x27;yung buhay ng team. Sobrang pressure po pero di ko po pinapakita po &#x27;yun,&quot; he promised. &quot;Kasi po alam ko naman po na kayang-kaya po namin, and magtutulungan po kaming team, lalong-lalo na po kay Kuya Bryan,&quot; he added.Game 1 of the men&#x27;s volleyball finals is on Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum.For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.

As National University (NU) heads into the UAAP men's volleyball finals for the seventh season in a row, the focus is rightly on the Bulldogs' graduating players who are eyeing a fitting finale to their collegiate careers.

As National University (NU) heads into the UAAP men's volleyball finals for the seventh season in a row, the focus is rightly on the Bulldogs' graduating players who are eyeing a fitting finale to their collegiate careers.

UAAP: NU rookies ready for men's volleyball finals spotlight

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UAAP: NU rookies ready for men's volleyball finals spotlight

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 08, 2019 01:44 PM PHT

|

Updated May 09, 2019 09:48 AM PHT

Read More:

UAAP

UAAP Season 81

UAAP volleyball

NU Bulldogs

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