Stefanie Berberabe (No. 10) and the remainder of the Bulldogs outhustle the Tigresses. —AUGUST DELA CRUZ
Dealing with the largest risk to the UAAP girls’s basketball throne it has sat on for years, Nationwide College (NU) dug as deep because it may and barely stored its title retention bid alive in Season 86, thanks largely to College of Santo Tomas (UST) persevering with to make the identical errors.
“We’re nonetheless alive,” Bulldogs coach Aries Dimaunahan mentioned on the heels of escaping the Tigresses, 72-70, on Sunday at Good Araneta Coliseum. “We at all times set a modest aim for our group each time, every single day we step on the courtroom, and immediately’s mindset was simply to remain alive.”
The drive for his or her eighth straight title acquired a brand new lease on life with the scrappy win, with the decider slated on Wednesday towards the hard-luck Tigresses who’re in search of a primary championship since 2006.
Santo Tomas constructed a nine-point cushion early however slowly crumbled, a recurring downside for the Tigresses of their current video games. And a 10-0 Nationwide U run had the Bulldogs taking a 54-50 lead they’d by no means relinquish.
Kent Pastrana had an opportunity to stage the sport for Santo Tomas whereas in transition with 17.4 seconds left just for Gypsy Canuto to power the prolific Tigress to surrender possession.
Pastrana had one other probability to win all of it for the Tigresses, solely to overlook a step again triple whereas being hounded by Stefanie Berberabe which sealed UST’s destiny.
“Our fundamental focus was the bits and items wanted to be performed in an effort to get the outcomes that we wish. Happy with the women for doing an incredible job immediately, turning the tide round taking part in for one another, nobody quitting from us. Though [UST] took an early lead, nobody crumbled from us,” Dimaunahan mentioned.
“That goes to point out our character, we actually wished to dwell and struggle one other day and we acquired what we wished immediately, so it’s even-steven,” he went on.
Karl Pingol helped the Bulldogs along with her 14 factors and 5 rebounds whereas Princess Fabruada contributed 13 factors on 71.4 taking pictures.
Nevertheless it was Camille Clarin who confirmed up as soon as once more for the Bulldogs, who misplaced a Finals match for the primary time final Sunday, 76-72. She completed with 18 factors and eight assists. INQ
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