NATIONAL University squandered a 24-point second-half lead and withstood a stirring University of Santo Tomas fightback before pulling off a 75-69 win to become the lone undefeated team in the UAAP Season 87 Collegiate Women’s Basketball field on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Lady Bulldogs were comfortably ahead, 61-37, when the Growling Tigresses, who rallied from 14 points in last year’s deciding Game 3 to claim the crown, cut down the deficit to 61-68 when Karylle Sierba, Eka Soriano, and Kent Pastrana drilled three straight triples with 4:55 to go.
UST was down 64-71 on a rookie Gin Relliquette triple when Camille Clarin and Karl Pingol split their charities and Cielo Pagdulagan scored the game’s biggest basket, a lay-up off a Clarin’s assist in the final 2:22 to put the game away for NU.
Angel Surada provided the insurance basket for the Lady Bulldogs, as the Growling Tigresses fell short in their comeback.
“I thought it was learning again even though we got the win. We’re happy with the win but there is a lot of work to be done moving forward sa season na ito. We must get better at protecting leads,” said NU head coach Aris Dimaunahan.
With the win, NU gave some sort of revenge after last season’s heart-wrenching, reign-ending Finals defeat in three games last year.
The Lady Bulldogs catapulted to solo lead in the eight-team field with a 4-0 record.
Gambian center Jainaba Konateh dominated the paint for NU, going 3-of-3 from the field and shooting all but one of her 12 attempts from the line to end up with 17 points. She also grabbed nine rebounds.
Clarin made 14 points, five rebounds, and four assists but struggled from the field, converting just five of her 18 attempts.
Surada played her game to finish with 11 points and 14 rebounds – eight on the offensive end.
NU, which once held a seven-season reign in women’s hoops before UST happened, will seek to continue its unbeaten run on Wednesday against Adamson University at the Big Dome.
Relliquette tallied a team-high 12 points as UST dropped to 3-1 at solo second.
Brigette Santos added 11 points, five assists, four rebounds, two steals, and two blocks, while Rocel Dionisio chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds.
The Growling Tigresses leaders Kent Pastrana, Eka Soriano, and Tacky Tacatac were all limited.
Pastrana, a Mythical team member last season, shot just 3-of-13 from the field to get just seven points although she grabbed 10 rebounds.
Soriano, the Season 85 MVP, was 1-of-7 with just eight points, five rebounds, and four assists, while Tacatac was held scoreless, missing both of her two shots.
UST will have a week-long break before returning to action on Sept. 29 against De La Salle University also at the same venue.
