NU survives FEU, stays at 2nd spot

National University (NU) scraped past Far Eastern University (FEU), 66-60, to solidify its hold on second place in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 89 women’s basketball tournament on Sunday at the Blue Eagle Gym.

The Lady Bulldogs never relinquished the lead but found the Lady Tamaraws a tough nut to crack before securing their second straight win.

Following a 76-63 victory over the University of the East last Wednesday, NU remained in solo second place in the standings with a 4-1 record.

“First of all, we commend FEU for really giving us a hard time in this game, but we’re also proud of how we finished the game. At least we were able to pull this off. We struggled the whole game, but we found a way to win,” NU head coach DA Olan said.

The Lady Bulldogs gained an early upper hand, closing out the second quarter with a 15-5 run to take a 32-22 lead into halftime.

NU kept FEU at bay, with Kristine Cayabyab leading the way as the Lady Bulldogs maintained a double-digit advantage heading into the final frame, leaving the Lady Tamaraws with little room to build momentum.

Victoria Pasilang, however, ensured that FEU would not go down without a fight in the fourth quarter, leading the Lady Tamaraws’ comeback bid and cutting the deficit to 58-55 with a three-pointer with 2:20 remaining.

After several back-and-forth sequences in the final two minutes, Marga Villanueva created some separation by knocking down a crucial triple to give NU a seven-point cushion with 36 seconds left.

Amyah Espanol answered with a three-pointer of her own, but Ann Pingol ultimately sealed the win from the free-throw line as the Lady Bulldogs held on for the victory.

“In the latter part, we stayed composed. We were there for each other, which is why we got the win,” said Pingol, the reigning Most Valuable Player who led NU with 14 points, six rebounds, two steals, and two blocks.

Cayabyab added 10 points, nine rebounds, and four assists.