League-leading National University showcased its full arsenal against also-ran University of the East, winning in wire-to-wire fashion 75-57, to clinch at least a playoff for a twice-to-beat edge in the coming UAAP Season 86 Women’s Basketball Final Four, Saturday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
The Lady Bulldogs won their ninth straight game to improve to 11-1 with two games left to play.
NU will shoot for an outright twice-to-beat advantage on Wednesday against already-eliminated Adamson Lady Falcons.
“It’s always tough to play a team that has no pressure coming into the game and that’s UE for today. I’m glad that we conducted ourselves today better than we played against La Salle and UST because we are all asking for our players consistency in our game,” said NU head coach Aris Dimaunahan.
Already ahead by 10 late in the second quarter, National U then scored seven more unanswered points to close the frame and enter the half ahead by 17, 41-24.
That would be the last time the Lady Warriors closed in to within 10 as the Lady Bulldogs managed to take care of their huge lead the rest of the way.
Dimaunahan already used 15 players in the first half, in which 11 of them entered the scoring column right away.
At the end of the game, all but one scored at least two points. Minutes were spread as well with no one playing more than 18 minutes.
“Para makuha namin yung goal namin which is yung championship, dapat together kami kapag naglalaro kasi the past few games medyo hindi kami consistent. We really need to play together as one,” said Angel Surada, who led NU’s balanced offense with 11 points and six rebounds.
Marylene Solis had nine points as well while Maymay Canuto, Pringle Fabruada, and Camille Clarin also delivered eight points apiece. Before this game, Solis, a sophomore guard out of Chiang Kai Shek, averaged just 4.0 points.
The Lady Bulldogs displayed their dominance in the paint, scoring 42 against the Lady Warriors’ 24. They also got more than half of their points from the bench with 43 of their 75.
UE fell to 0-12. This was also its 35th straight defeat dating back to Season 82.
Kamba Kone had her best game for UE this season with 21 points and 18 rebounds, while Paulina Anastacio and Trixie Burgos got 12 points each.
UE will close its campaign against University of the Philippines and De La Salle University in that order.
The Scores:
NU 75 – Surada 11, Solis 9, Canuto 8, Fabruada 8, Clarin 8, Pingol 6, Betanio 5, Konateh 5, Berberabe 3, Cayabyab 3, Ico 3, Bartolo 2, Alterado 2, Talas 2, Alcantara 0.
UE 57 – Kone 21, Anastacio 12, Burgos 12, Dela Rosa 3, Lorena 3, Ruiz 2, Paule 2, Pedregosa 2, Ronquillo 0, Lumibao 0, Delig 0, Yanez 0.
Quarterscores: 24-11, 41-24, 60-41, 75-57
