NU Lady Bulldogs near elimination sweep after victory over UST
It only takes three wins away for National University to complete an elimination sweep after edging reigning champion University of Santo Tomas, 76-70, in the UAAP Season 87 Women’s Basketball Tournament on Wednesday, November 6, at SM Mall of Asia Arena.
With this victory, the Lady Bulldogs are now guaranteed of at least a playoff berth for a twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Four.
“Just glad that we pulled through in this one because we had a rough start, but I’m happy of how our players responded even though [UST] jumped at us early,” NU coach Aris Dimaunahan said.
“We did not lose that focus we should be having for 40 minutes and part of which, that’s why we came back early because CC got some baskets early on,” he added.
Karylle Sierba momentarily gave the Growling Tigresses hope in the third quarter after sinking a triple, 59-57. However, NU retaliated with a 13-0 blast after Cielo Pagdulagan’s inside shot in the final frame that propelled Lady Bulldogs to an 11-point advantage, 70-59, with less than 7:30 remaining.
A layup by Tacky Tacatac diminished UST’s deficit to seven, 74-67, but Angel Surada responded with layups, as well as a crucial turnover courtesy of Brigette Santos concluded Lady Bulldogs’ victory.
“I think that’s part of the challenge of how we should play the game from start to finish. Syempre, hindi perfect, but the challenge really is how well we could bounce back if there are adversities and lapses that happen, especially on the defensive side,” Dimaunahan remarked.
Camille Clarin top scored for the Lady Bulldogs with 21 points with 18 coming from the first half, to go along with seven rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block, while Pagdulagan scored 17 markers built from six boards, two dimes, and one rejection.
Ann Pingol contributed 11 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two blocks while Surada tallied eight markers, six boards, one dime, and one rejection.
NU’s aims to inch closer to an elimination round sweep when they clash against Adamson University on Sunday, November 10, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Tacatac led the charge for the Growling Tigresses with 21 points, three assists, and two steals, while UAAP Season 86 Athlete of the Year Kent Pastrana added 14 markers, six boards, five dimes, one deflection, and one rejection.
UST looks to bounce back when they go up against University of the East on Saturday, November 9, at the same venue.
The Scores:
NU 76 – Clarin 21, Pagdulagan 17, Pingol 11, Surada 8, Canuto 6, Betanio 5, Fabruada 4, Cayabyab 4, Konateh 0, Villanueva 0, Solis 0, Alterado 0.
UST 70 – Tacatac 21, Pastrana 14, Maglupay 10, Santos 8, Sierba 8, Bron 4, Ambos 2, Serrano 2, N. Danganan 1, Soriano 0, Pescador 0, Relliquette 0.
Similar news
The NLEX Road Warriors wrapped up their preseason on a high note, clinching the 40th Kadayawan Invitational championship with a commanding 101-84 victory over the Blackwater Bossing on Sunday night, August 26, at the University of Southern Philippines in Davao City.
It wasn’t the smoothest of starts for NLEX, which found itself down by 11 early in the game. But the tide shifted in the second quarter, where the Road Warriors erupted for a 34-12 run behind the efforts of Robert Bolick, Dominic Fajardo, Tony Semerad, and Xyrus Torres to seize a 52-36 halftime lead.
Blackwater attempted a late push, cutting the gap to 76-65 in the fourth quarter, but NLEX responded with a 12-5 counter that put the game out of reach. Semerad, who buried three triples in the payoff period, earned Finals MVP honors with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Torres topped the scoring for NLEX with 19 markers, while Bolick came close to a triple-double with eight points, six boards, and nine assists. JB Bahio and Fajardo chipped in 12 and 10 markers, respectively. As a team, the Road Warriors torched the net from beyond the arc, going 18-of-34, with Semerad and Torres sinking four each.
Sedrick Barefield paced Blackwater with 15 points, while Richard Escoto added 14. The Bossing, despite falling short in the finals, had an impressive run in the preliminaries, including a comeback win over NLEX, 95-90, earlier in the tournament.
The championship serves as a timely boost for NLEX heading into the new PBA season. Last year, the Road Warriors finished second in the Philippine Cup eliminations before bowing out in the quarterfinals against Rain or Shine. Deputy mentor Adonis Tierra called the shots in their last two games, steering the team to become the second straight PBA squad to lift the Kadayawan crown, following Rain or Shine’s sweep in 2024. NLEX closed the tournament with a 3-1 card, their lone loss coming at the hands of Blackwater.
In the battle for third place, Phoenix avoided a winless campaign with a convincing 101-81 rout of Converge. Raffy Verano led the way with 19 points and nine rebounds, while Tyler Tio and Kai Ballungay contributed 17 and 15 markers, respectively. The win marked the first for new head coach Willy Wilson, who took over during the offseason. Coincidentally, Phoenix also defeated Converge for third place in last year’s edition of the tournament.
The NLEX Road Warriors and Blackwater Bossing opened their campaigns in the 2025 Kadayawan Invitational with victories in their respective first games on Thursday, August 21, at the USEP Gym in Davao City.
In the first game, Sedrick Barefield made an immediate impact for the Bossing. The 2024 second overall pick erupted for 28 points, including six triples. Three of those came in succession in the fourth quarter, turning a slim 72-66 lead into a more comfortable 81-68 cushion.
Troy Mallillin contributed 17 points and six rebounds, while newcomer Jed Mendoza impressed in his debut with 16 points.
For the Phoenix Fuel Masters, Jason Perkins and Kai Ballungay scored 12 points apiece in their first game under new head coach Willie Wilson, who took over from Jamike Jarin after he was moved to a team consultant role.
The East Asia Super League (EASL) is officially set to raise the curtain on its new season with a twin opening in Taipei and Tokyo on October 8, 2025 — a move that reflects the league’s expanding reach and growing stature as Asia’s premier basketball competition.
All eyes in Taiwan will be on the Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium, which will host a blockbuster doubleheader featuring some of the region’s most decorated clubs.
The action tips off with a clash between the B.LEAGUE champions Utsunomiya Brex and the P. LEAGUE+ runners-up Taipei Fubon Braves. Utsunomiya, led by veteran guard Makoto Hiejima, entered as one of Japan’s most successful franchises. The Braves, meanwhile, look to prove their resilience after falling short in a grueling seven-game finals series last season, banking on the leadership of Chinese Taipei legend Lin Chih-Chieh.
The second game of the night brings a rematch between the P. LEAGUE+ champions Taoyuan Pauian Pilots and Japan’s Ryukyu Golden Kings. Their last encounter came in the 2025 EASL Final Four semifinals, where Taoyuan stunned Ryukyu, 71–64. This time, the Golden Kings are eager for redemption, while the Pilots hope to reaffirm their place among Asia’s elite.
Game schedule (HKT):
- Utsunomiya vs. Taipei Fubon – 6:30 PM
- Taoyuan vs. Ryukyu – 8:30 PM