Long-struggling University of the Philippines women’s basketball program has truly turned its fortunes around.
This as the Fighting Maroons handed eight-peat seeking National University its first loss in the UAAP Season 86 Women’s Basketball Tournament, scoring a rousing 72-69 win at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion on Sunday.
UP raced to a 43-31 lead at halftime but the Lady Bulldogs came out barking in the third to gain a 50-49 advantage heading into the payoff period.
With 11 seconds on the shot clock and 24.7 seconds on the game clock with NU down, 67-69, Maymay Canuto dribbled the ball off her foot that allowed UP’s Kaye Pesquera to grab the loose ball on the floor.
However, Ann Pingol stole the ball from Pesquera and went for a layup but it rimmed out as the Fighting Maroons secured the rebound and called for a timeout.
Pesquera, in the ensuing play, wasted some time before being sent to the free throw line with 6.2 seconds left, making the first before missing the second, 70-67.
The Lady Bulldogs got the rebound but Christie Bariquit stole it and passed to Louna Ozar for the exclamation points with 2.5 ticks remaining.
UP improved its unbeaten streak to three games at 3-0 while pulling the Lady Bulldogs down to 2-1 for joint-third with Ateneo de Manila University.
This is also the Fighting Maroons’ first win over the NU dynasty since August 29, 2011, a 60-59 escape in the second round of Season 74.
Nineteen-year-old Gilas Pilipinas stalwart Ozar made her Fighting Maroons debut.
UP goes for 4-0 on Wednesday at the Adamson Gym, facing Far Eastern University.
NU, on the other hand, will meet the still-undefeated University of Santo Tomas.