The NU Lady Bulldogs survive a last-gasp rally from the UST Growling Tigresses in their return to the top of UAAP women’s basketball after a one-season absence.
The NU Lady Bulldogs are champions of UAAP women’s basketball once more after surviving a last-minute rally from the UST Growling Tigresses, winning Game 3 of the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball finals, 78-73, on Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
A 27-12 third quarter broke the game open for the Lady Bulldogs, with rookie Cielo Pagdulagan and veteran Angel Surada combining for 19 points to give NU a crucial 65-53 advantage heading into the final period. This, after both squads figured in a tightly contested first half that ended in a 38-all deadlock after 20 minutes.
However, the Growling Tigresses would unleash one last rally midway in the final period. Down 75-61 with 3:16 left in regulation, Tacky Tacatac and ace rookie Karylle Sierba produced eight straight points to bring UST witihin five with less than two minutes to play.
But this proved to be the last of UST, with crucial misses and Camille Clarin’s free throws completing the Lady Bulldogs’ redemption tour as they kept their poise down the stretch.
“Super saya kasi walang bumitaw…Simula sa tip-off hanggang natapos ‘yung fourth quarter walang bumitaw sa amin. Kasi parang medyo naging deja vu eh, parang hahabol sila, so, alam na namin fourth quarter na naman, alam namin na mangyayari yun. Pero ang pinagkaiba namin last year this year, walang bumitaw sa amin,” Surada said, referring to UST’s similar fourth-quarter rally in Season 86 that denied NU an unprecedented “eight-peat”.
Rookie Pagdulagan led NU with a game-high 21 points and nine rebounds, while graduating Camille Clarin and Angel Surada added 14 points apiece. Clarin chipped in six rebounds in her collegiate swan song, while Surada had eight boards as she led the Lady Bulldogs’ frontcourt.
NU now secures their eighth women’s basketball title in nine seasons, and head coach Aris Dimaunahan’s second title since taking over from the legendary Pat Aquino in 2022 to continue the winning standards set in Jhocson.
“I’m just really satisfied of, because today this is the fruit of our labor. The entire year, nagintay kami. We kept our step very cautiously. And our focus, again, is araw-araw to get better, to get better…masayang masaya ako for them because we had our first loss of the season in Game 2 pero hindi sila bumigay and the more they kept their focus, the more they became hungrier for this win,” reflected Dimaunahan.
Banner image courtesy of the UAAP Media Bureau.