By Jerome Lagunzad
Games Today
(The Arena, San Juan City)
8 a.m. – Ateneo vs La Salle
10 a.m. – UST vs UE
From top to bottom, the Lady Bulldogs of three-time defending National University sure posses that killer bite.
Unforgiving on both ends, NU hardly broke a sweat in repeating over Adamson, 109-59, to sustain its winning roll in the UAAP Season 80 women’s basketball tournament at the Smart-Araneta Colisuem.
Trixie Antiquera led all scorers with 20 points, spiked by six triples, while frontcourt buddies, Cameroonian Rhena Itesi and homegrown Jack Animam, tallied double-doubles each as the Lady Bulldogs racked up their ninth straight win and gained at least a playoff for the first Final Four berth.
“It was a great win,” said Lady Bulldogs coach Pat Aquino, pleased no end with how his charges roared their way to their 57th consecutive victory dating back to 2014.
The 6-foot-4 Itesi tallied 11 points and 14 rebounds while the wide-bodied Animam led the bench mob with 10 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks for NU, which led by as many as 54 points.
Meanwhile, host Far Eastern University vented its ire on hapless University of the Philippines 84-48 to get its title campaign back on track.
Valerie Mamaril had a team-high of 19 points while Isabel Balleser collected 14 points, 12 rebounds and four steals as the Lady Tamaraws wasted no little time in dealing the knockout punch on the outclassed Lady Maroons side.
More importantly, FEU stopped a two-game losing skid and improved its mark to 4-5, seizing the fourth spot after Adamson suffered its sixth loss in 10 matches earlier.
Pesky Pesquera came off the bench and tallied 15 points but no other teammate scored in double figures as UP remained winless after nine matches.