Over the past decade, National University has established itself as the standard-bearer of Philippine women’s basketball, achieving a remarkable seven-peat in the UAAP from 2013 to 2023.
However, the Lady Bulldogs’ dominance was halted in Season 86 when they suffered a heartbreaking come-from-behind Game 3 loss in the finals to archrival UST Growling Tigresses.
Determined to reclaim its throne, NU entered Season 87 with renewed focus, retaining its core players while integrating highly-touted rookies into the lineup.
With this combination of talent and determination, the Lady Bulldogs have stayed committed to their mission of restoring their championship legacy.
Their resolve culminated in an elimination-round sweep of Season 87 after an emphatic 86-58 victory over the FEU Lady Tamaraws on Saturday morning at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan. This win secured NU’s 10th consecutive finals appearance and seventh overall eliminations sweep.
Despite this impressive achievement, Gilas Women mainstay Angel Surada emphasized the importance of staying focused on their ultimate goal: reclaiming the championship title they held for seven consecutive years.
(C) UAAP Season 87 Media Team
“Gaya ng sinabi ni Coach Aris [Dimaunahan], we take it day by day. I’m happy na under Coach Aris, na-sweep namin this season. Nothing to celebrate, this is not the goal,” the 5-foot-5 bruiser shared.
“Masaya kami, not too high, not too low. Wala naman nakaka-expect sa amin na magswi-sweep kami, we take it one game at a time lang. Thank God na na-sweep namin. Masaya kami na makabalik ulit kami sa championship. Ilang months namin inantay ito, mula sa last year na pagkatalo. ‘Yon yung goal, to win the championship,” she continued.
Head coach Aris Dimaunahan echoed Surada’s sentiments, praising his team’s discipline and adaptability, which were instrumental in achieving their unblemished 14-0 elimination record.
“We should be happy with how we conducted the eliminations and we know for a fact that going to the finals, it will be a different scenario and atmosphere, but it’s the same basketball game that we should play the right way and we aim to win. Ganon yung mindset ng bawat isa sa amin. We don’t look at the results right away, we try to manage what are the things needed for us to get those wins to be able to enter the finals,” the former Blackwater head coach said.
Dimaunahan further highlighted the importance of preparation heading into the finals, especially with fierce competition looming.
NU faces the challenge of overcoming Ateneo de Manila University, Adamson University, and reigning champion UST to secure its eighth title in the last decade.
“It will boil down to our preparation. Lahat ng naglalaro ngayon will be scrutinized by us, titignan namin how they play right now. That will be part of the preparation moving forward kasi hindi pa natin alam kung sino kalaban. We’ll prepare for each of the schools that will be left there, we’ll try our best to keep everybody sharped and locked in,” he concluded.
