Alfred Aroga of National University had to overcome the mind games of his UE Red Warrior rival Charles Mammie to score the biggest win of his UAAP career

Charles Mammie tried. Over and over again he ventured to use different methods as a way to get into the head of Alfred Aroga just moments before both guys were about to play the most important game of their college careers.

It had worked before during last year’s FilOil preseason tournament, in which Mammie’s antics got into the psyche of the younger and lesser-experienced Bulldog big man, who fell for his adversary’s ploy and was unable to perform his usual style of play.

The result? NU lost, while UE used the victory as one of its launching pads to the championship.

On Saturday, September 20, with both squads dueling for a spot at the Final Four round on the line, Mammie thought it would work once again. And for a moment, it looked like it did.

Just minutes after trash talking Aroga on the bench and giving intimidating stares, the UE big man exploded for the game’s first six points as he helped spearhead his club to a 9-0 lead.

The red-dominant side of the Smart Araneta Coliseum was sent into a ruckus, while the underwhelmed Bulldogs supporters sulked on their seats.

Another guy on his seat was Aroga, who committed two early fouls and had to watch from the bench as Mammie looked dominant. But thankfully for the Cameroonian rookie, his teammates picked up the slack and even took the lead before his re-entry to the game. He wound up with just seven points. But two of those turned out to be the most important of his team’s season.

In the dying seconds of the game with the contest tied at 49, Mammie left a wide-open Aroga underneath the rim off a time-out but recovered just in time to avoid the basket. However, a foul was called, setting up the more pressure-packed moment the NU rookie has had to face in his career.

Aroga faced the prospect of being either the hero or the goat, and his sub-par free throw shooting average wasn’t exactly a confidence-booster. NU fans all over the coliseum held their breaths in unison, likewise for those supporting UE, who were hoping for a miss or two. Mammie tried to distract his rival once again, but Aroga’s eyes were fixated on the rim. Just remember the mechanics, he told himself.

“I was so calm,” Aroga shared about his game-sealing free throws after the game. “And I was like, ‘Okay, Alfred… every time you’re taking free throws, you make one, you lose one. This time try to be focused.’ Cause the crowd of UE was incredible. So I was just really, really focused on the free throws.”

A few second later, the score read 51-49. Both shots went in, sinking to the bottom of the net. NU needed just one more stop on defense. And they got it, as Bong Galanza’s 3-pointer clanked off the rim. The game was over.

What happened after was ecstasy. Bulldogs funs hugged each other. The floor of The Big Dome was splattered by the tears of the team’s players. Aroga went to the bench and hugged his head coach in what was a very emotional episode. They were Final Four-bound.

“My coach always tells me, ‘It’s not how you start. It’s how you finish.’ So, I’m so happy I did the two free throws and we’re lucky we had the game.”