Diliman, Olivarez clash in UCBL tilt
NU belles register 53rd win
When it could not get anything going from the outside, threetime defending champion National University can always rely on its inside play.
That’s precisely what the Lady Bulldogs proved yesterday when they manhandled the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws, 71-48, to sustain their impressive win run in the UAAP Season 80 women’s basketball tourney at the SmartAraneta Coliseum.
Congolese center Rhena Itesi and Jack Animan came through with double-double performances while Ria Nabalan showed the way offensively with 15 points as NU asserted its full might over FEU in the final period.
The victory was the fifth straight this season – and 53rd overall since 2014 – for the pacesetting Lady Bulldogs, who limited the Lady Tamaraws to just six points while scoring 28 in the final 10 minutes.
The 6-foot-4 Itesi finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds while Animam hauled down 23 boards on top of 11 points to help NU overcome a horrendous 4-of-21 shooting from outside the arc.
“We had an awful shooting today,” lamented NU coach Pat Aquino. “Rhena and Jack did their jobs again but we have to make it a point to his shots from the outside so that the defense will loosen up the middle.”
Meanwhile, veteran guard Jhenn Angeles took up the cudgels in the stretch as University of Santo Tomas turned back Ateneo 7165 and tightened its hold of the second spot.
Angeles fired away a team-high 20 points, nine of them coming in the payoff period where the Tigresses led by as many as 15 and forced several defensive stops to upend the Lady Eagles’ late rally.
Diliman College and Olivarez College try to keep the pacesetters within their reach as they square off today in the Universities and Colleges Basketball League (UCBL) Season 2 action at the Sea Lions’ own floor in Sucat, Parañaque City.
Tip off is at 12 noon, with the Blue Dragons aiming to pick up from where they left off the last time out and the Sea Lions raring to make it three straight in a row after a sluggish start.
Diliman College returned to its winning ways behind an 81-66 conquest of struggling Bulacan State University over the weekend and coach Rensy Bajar challenged the Blue Dragons to sustain their momentum.
“The good thing about my players is they are willing to continue learning. We suffered a reality check against CdSL (nearly two weeks ago), but the guys made the right adjustments against BulSU. That’s a great sign for a young team like us,” he said.
Meanwhile, newcomer LyceumBatangas intends to rack up its second straight victory when the Pirates take on the skidding Engineers of Technological Institute of the Philippines at 2 o’clock.
Lyceum-Batangas broke the ice on its fourth try courtesy of a thrilling 88-84 win over University of Batangas last Monday and coach Danilo Acero is confident his charges can sustain their winning form.
But the Pirates are expected to have their hands full on the wellrested Engineers, who are eager to stop a two-game bleeding and are coming off a 10-day break.
Diliman College is expected to lean heavily anew on prized Senagalese big man Adama Diakhite who proved too much against BulSU’s all-Filipino crew, accounting for 38 points, 18 rebound and eight blocks in dominant fashion.
Aside from a familiar homecourt advantage, Olivarez College hopes to get the needed boost from the likes of top locals Richmond Sunga and Pruvil Bermudes.