NU’s Marga Villanueva shoots against Adamson in the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball tournament.–UAAP PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — National University secured a twice-to-beat incentive, extending its unbeaten run to 12 games with a 72-53 rout of Adamson in the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball tournament on Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Lady Bulldogs (12-0) are now just two wins away from their seventh elimination round sweep in nine seasons and an outright Finals berth.

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NU, which led as many as 24 in the fourth, 72-48, leaned on the collective effort led by Ann Pingol, who had 12 points, six rebounds, two assists, and one block. 

READ: UAAP: NU Lady Bulldogs beat UST anew, close in on elims sweep

Marga Villanueva was instrumental for the Lady Bulldogs with 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting. Gypsey Canuto tallied nine points, six assists, two rebounds, and a steal, while Angel Surada also scored nine and grabbed nine rebounds.

“We’ll continue to remain at the present. I always tell this that we do not look too far ahead of us. We take it a day and a game at a time. This game is done and over with, but tomorrow, we’ll start to work and to achieve the sweep,” NU coach Aris Dimaunahan said. 

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“We know for a fact that today [Adamson] aspired to be the team that would dent our record this season. We know that coming into this game, so we took care of business early.”

Final Four-bound Adamson dropped to an 8-4 record, two games behind No. 2 University of Santo Tomas (10-2).

Cheska Apag’s 18-point effort on 7-of-9 shooting went for naught. Elaine Etang was limited to six points on 3-of-15 shooting.

READ: UAAP: Camille Clarin’s heroics lead NU escape of UP

Meanwhile, Luisa San Juan and Lee Sario powered La Salle past the University of the Philippines, 69-62, to improve to a 4-8 record.

San Juan led the Lady Archers with 18 points, four assists, one rebound, and a block, while Sario had 15 points, six rebounds, and two assists.

Kyla Sunga contributed 14 points, seven rebounds, one assist, and a steal. Patricia Mendoza tallied 11 points, nine rebounds, four assists, four blocks, and three steals.

“We are a bunch of competitors. As La Sallians, we are competitors in anything that we do, we want to give our best anytime we step on the floor and with whatever we’re doing both inside the court and outside the court,” La Salle coach Cholo Villanueva.

“Even though we’re out of contention, we still have our little goals we want to achieve, and also as a team, we want to be competitive. We want to come out there represent the Green and White well and show pride and heart on the floor,” Villanueva added.

UP slid to a 3-9 record tied with FEU despite Achrissa Maw’s 25 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

Kaye Pesquera chipped in 14 points, four rebounds, three assists, and one steal, while Louna Ozar was limited to seven points on 3-of-13 shooting but contributed seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals.

The Scores:

First Game:

NU (72) – Pingol 12, Villanueva 10, Canuto 9, Surada 9, Clarin 8, Konateh 7, Fabruada 6, Betanio 4, Cayabyab 3, Pagdulagan 2, Solis 2, Pring 0, Alterado 0, Ico 0, Talas 0.

AdU (53) – Apag 18, Limbago 7, Alaba 7, Etang 6, Adeshina 4, Ornopia 4, Alaba 3, Agojo 2, Bajo 2, Padilla 0, Mazo 0, Manlimos 0, Meniano 0.

Quarterscores: 27-17, 46-28, 59-41, 72-53.

Second Game:

DLSU (69) – San Juan 18, Sario 15, Sunga 14, Mendoza 11, Bacierto 4, Dela Paz 3, Binaohan 2, Paraiso 2, Dalisay 0, Santos 0, Camba 0.

UP (62) – Maw 25, Pesquera 14, Ozar 7, Nolasco 5, Mendoza 4, Bariquit 4, Solitario 3, Lozada 0, Tapawan 0, Vingno 0, Sauz 0, Quinquinio 0, Barba 0.

Quarterscores: 17-16, 36-25, 49-38, 69-62.