7 SUNOD NA KORONA SA LADY BULLDOGS

UMUKIT ng kasaysayan ang women’s team ng National University bilang unang UAAP basketball program na nagwagi ng pitong sunod na titulo kasunod ng 76-64 panalo kontra La Salle kahapon sa Mall of Asia Arena.

Winalis ng Lady Bulldogs ang best-of-three series, 2-0, upang maipagpatuloy ni coach Aris Dimaunahan ang dynasty na itinayo ng kanyang predecessor na si Pat Aquino.

Napantayan ng NU ang men’s team feat ng University of the East para sa most consecutive basketball championships, na naitala nito noong 1965 hanggang 1971. Gayunman, ang Red Warriors ay co-champions sa University of Santo Tomas noong 1969.

“The credit goes to all our girls. From Day 1 they committed. I’m glad each and every one of us did our share and nanalo kami,” sabi ni Dimaunahan.

“This team, we don’t talk about records,” dagdag pa niya. “We don’t think about it. We just work hard, day in and day out.”

Kinuha ni rookie Kristine Cayabyab ang Finals MVP honors, na may average na 12.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals at 1.5 assists sa series, kabilang ang 18 points at 5 boards sa clincher.

Nakabawi ang Lady Bulldogs mula sa second-round overtime loss sa Lady Archers na tumapos sa kanilang historic 108-game winning streak.

“Isa sa hindi ko makakalimutan na nangyari this season is ‘yung natalo kami against La Salle. Doon kami mas nagtulungan para makuha itong championship na ito. Mas naging together kami,” ani Cayabyab.

“I took that as a blessing in disguise,” dagdag ni Dimaunahan.

Iskor:
NU (76) — Cayabyab 18, Surada 10, Edimo Tiky 9, Clarin 8, Cacho 6, Pingol 6, Bartolo 5, Canuto 4, Fabruada 4, Villareal 4, Betanio 2, Solis 0, Barroquillo 0, Dimaunahan 0, Ico 0.
DLSU (64) — Torres 29, Niantcho 13, Arciga 8, Sario 7, Binaohan 5, De La Paz 2, Jimenez 0, Ahmed 0.
QS: 27-11, 42-27, 61-40, 76-64.