Ann Pingol notched her first career triple-double as defending champion National University dismantled De La Salle University, 97-67, to clinch the second Final Four berth in the UAAP Season 88 Women’s Basketball Tournament, Sunday afternoon at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Behind Pingol’s all-around brilliance of 12 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, and six steals — marking the season’s first triple-double in the women’s division — the Lady Bulldogs secured their 11th consecutive Final Four appearance.
This impressive streak began in Season 76 during the first year of former head coach Pat Aquino, leading to 10 straight Finals trips and eight UAAP championships.
“Kanina, hindi ko rin kasi alam na ‘yon yung stats ko. Parang sinasabihan din ako ng coaches and yung mga kasama ko naman sa court, parang they fed me na kailangan ko raw ng ganito tapos kami raw bahala sa’yo,” said the 5-foot-7 winger, who is a member of the UAAP Season 87 Mythical Team and is in her final season.
“Alam nila na hindi ko ‘yon magagawa pag wala sila, kailangan ko rin sila. Dahil din sa kanila ito.”
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
The victory also extended NU’s winning streak to eight games, solidifying its grip on solo second place in the eight-team field with a 9-1 record, trailing only the still-unbeaten University of Santo Tomas (9-0).
“We’re satisfied with this win. Happy kami sa laro na ito kasi maganda laro namin and we followed the game plan. I challenged them to share the ball more in this game and happy ako kasi we got 37 assists. That is a testament to how this group of girls want to play for each other, share the ball, and think about the team,” said Lady Bulldogs head coach DA Olan.
Building on a strong 50-36 halftime lead, NU blew the game wide open with a decisive 16-4 start to the third quarter. Two straight Tin Cayabyab inside conversions and a Daniella Alterado floater capped a run to seize a commanding 66-40 lead that proved insurmountable.
After their 86-68 first-round victory last October 12, the Lady Bulldogs completed a dominant sweep of the Lady Archers in the elimination round.
Back-to-back triples from Marga Villanueva and Marylene Solis, followed by two Aloha Betanio free throws, stretched NU’s lead to 36 points, 93-57, with 5:03 remaining.
Cayabyab led NU’s balanced attack with 20 points, five rebounds, three assists, and three steals, while Betanio contributed 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting, along with six assists, five rebounds, and two steals.
Angel Surada also delivered an all-around effort with 11 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and four steals. Dindy Medina and Villanueva chipped in 11 and 10 points, respectively.
The Lady Bulldogs will next face the Adamson University Lady Falcons on Saturday, November 8, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion in Manila.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Meanwhile, the loss dealt a significant blow to the Lady Archers’ Final Four hopes, dropping them into a tie for fifth place with Adamson, both holding 3-6 records.
Kyla Go led La Salle with 21 points on 6-of-12 shooting, alongside four rebounds and one steal, though she committed six turnovers. Kyla Sunga and Paulina Anastacio each added 10 points in the defeat.
The Lady Archers aim to bounce back against the third-seeded Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles next Sunday, November 9, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
The Scores:
NU (97) – Cayabyab 20, Betanio 18, Pingol 12, Surada 11, D. Medina 11, Villanueva 10, Solis 7, Garcia 6, Alterado 2, Pring 0, Ico 0.
DLSU (67) – Go 21, Sunga 10, Anastacio 10, Mendoza 6, A. Dizon 6, S. Dizon 5, Villapando 3, Lubrico 2, Camba 2, Araza 2, Reyes 0, Catalan 0, Dela Paz 0, Villarin 0.
Quarterscores: 17-15, 50-36, 76-55, 97-67.
