By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Without a doubt, this National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs team is the best women’s collegiate basketball program of the decade.
After losing to De La Salle University (DLSU) during the UAAP grand finals last 2013, the Lady Bulldogs reclaimed their throne as the queens of collegiate basketball after extending their winning streak to 100 games following a dominant 79-44 victory over the University of the Philippines (UP) in the ongoing Season 85 women’s basketball tournament.
The drive for that 100th win was oozing all over the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion after asserting their mastery immediately when the whistle was blown in the first quarter.
NU was just too much for the newly-built UP team and saw the defending champions sink basket after basket in the wire-to-wire victory.
It was a collective effort for the Lady Bulldogs as 13 of their players in the activated roster scored in the win with graduating star Mikka Cacho leading the way with 15 big points.
Despite reaching the historical achievement, the NU coaching staff still stressed that it was the result of their adjustments coming from a close win over the dangerous University of Santo Tomas (UST) last Sunday, 78-75.
“The goal today was to bounce back from a very bad defensive game against UST the last time out. Today, the emphasis was on defense, on how well we could defend today,” said NU head coach Aris Dimaunahan.
NU’s winning streak was on the verge during their game against UST but the Lady Bulldogs’ crucial baskets in the end game took care of business and saved their historical record.
Since July 12, 2014, the Lady Bulldogs successfully protected its UAAP winning streak for 3,014 days and is yet to taste defeat from all collegiate basketball programs.
Dimaunahan then paid respect to the architect behind the Lady Bulldogs’ successful program, coach Patrick Aquino who is still doing his duties as the head of the women’s national basketball team.
The Lady Bulldogs will have the chance to get their win no. 101 when they face Adamson tomorrow.
