National University (NU) reasserted its dominance over Adamson University, fashioning out a 72-53 victory to run its win streak to 12 games in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Season 87 women’s basketball tournament on Sunday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
The win allowed the Lady Bulldogs to secure a twice-to-beat incentive, should a traditional Final Four format be followed in the postseason.
NU, which is gunning for its seventh elimination sweep in nine seasons, is set to face stiff competition even from also-ran teams in De La Salle University and Far Eastern University.
“We’ll continue to remain at the present. I always tell this that we do not look too far ahead of us. We take it a day and a game at a time. This game is done and over with, but tomorrow, we’ll start ulit to work and to achieve the sweep,” NU head coach Aris Dimaunahan said.
Marga Villanueva, Gypsey Canuto and Angelica Surada powered the Lady Bulldogs’ 19-11 second quarter rout of the Lady Falcons to gain a commanding 46-28 cushion at the half.
From there on, NU remained in control, establishing a game-high 24-point lead in the payoff period, 72-48, capped by four consecutive baskets from Camille Clarin, Ann Pingol, Tin Cayabyab and Canuto.
The victory further showed the Lady Bulldogs’ mastery of the Lady Falcons, whom they dealt a 74-52 first-round defeat last September.
Ann Pingol tallied 12 points, six rebounds, two assists, and one block, while Villanueva contributed 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting to go along with one steal.
Canuto orchestrated the Lady Bulldogs’ offense with nine points, six assists, two rebounds and one steal, while Surada flirted with a double-double after tallying nine points and nine rebounds to go along with three assists and two steals.
Meanwhile, De La Salle University added to the woes of a struggling University of the Philippines side, walking away with a 69-62 victory to tally its second consecutive win.
The Lady Archers’ aspirations to end the year on a positive note is off to a good start by hiking their record to a 4-8 card with two games left. The victory also broke the two-way tie for fifth place in the standings between La Salle and UP.
“We are a bunch of competitors. As LaSallians, we are competitors in anything that we do, we want to give our best anytime we step on the floor and with whatever we’re doing both inside the court and outside the court,” La Salle head coach Cholo Villanueva.