After being dethroned last year, the NU Lady Bulldogs are keeping themselves in check even as they are already in the UAAP Finals with a chance to reclaim the title.
The NU Lady Bulldogs aren’t looking ahead of regaining the throne in UAAP Season 87, even as they assured themselves of a seat in the Finals after completing an elimination round sweep, beating the FEU Tamaraws, 86-58, at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan on Saturday, November 23.
Entering into a step-ladder semifinals for the first time since Season 82 in 2019, NU will now play the waiting game as the other three Final Four teams battle it out for a chance to face the Lady Bulldogs in a three-game Finals series.
Now only two wins away from the crown, NU third-year player Angel Surada isn’t one to rush things. Focused on one day at a time, she understands that there’s more to work on before they can call themselves champions.
“Unang una, masaya kami. Not too high, not too low. Yun nga, lagi kaming nire-remind ng coaches job’s not done. Wala naming nage-expect samin na mags-sweep kami, we take it one game at a time. Thank God, na-sweep namin,” said Surada, finishing with eight points, four rebounds, and two assists in their win over FEU.
[RELATED: NU Lady Bulldogs advance to UAAP Season 87 Finals with 14-0 elims sweep]
“Masaya kami na makabalik ulit kami sa championship, ilang months namin inantay to simula last year pagkatalo. Kaya yun yung goal. To win the championship,” she added.
Since women’s basketball icon Patrick Aquino left the NU program, this is the first time that the Lady Bulldogs have swept the elimination round, having experienced one loss each in the last two seasons heading into the Finals.
Now with one less game to play, the Lady Bulldogs are not about to let the excitement of the sweep get into their heads.
As they’ve understood from last year, the crown isn’t something that they can take for granted.
“Kagaya po ng sinabi ni coach Aris na we take it day by day, and I’m happy na under coach Aris [Dimaunahan], nasweep namin this season. And yun nga, nothing to celebrate. This is not the goal,” Surada said.
Surada was already with the Lady Bulldogs during their previous seasons where they had to go through the traditional Final Four. But now in Season 87, NU has additional firepower thanks to rookies Cielo Pagdulagan, and Marga Villanueva who have been pivotal so far in the team's ongoing campaign.
But before the Lady Bulldogs get going again, they will be watching the step-ladder semis closely among the Ateneo Blue Eagles, the Adamson Lady Falcons, and the defending champions UST Growling Tigresses.