The riddle remains unsolved.
An answer to its losing spell has yet to be found as the University of the Philippines (UP) Women’s Basketball Team (WBT) succumbs to the National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs, 61-82, on Wednesday, Oct. 29, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The WBT falls to a 2-7 slate, its poorest showing in the league since Season 82. The team’s Round 1 match against NU also marked the start of its downhill slide this season.
State U struggled to find its footing early, staying scoreless in the first three minutes of the opening quarter, allowing defending champions NU to go on a 5-0 run.
Back-to-back buckets from Camille Nolasco and Shane Cunanan forged the lone deadlock, 5-5, before the Jhocson-based squad answered back to end the opening period with a seven-point advantage, 18-25.
Offensive woes proved costly for the Fighting Maroons as the Lady Bulldogs extended their lead to 15 heading into halftime, 33-48, outscoring UP’s 15 points with 23 markers in the quarter.
It was the same story in the second half as the hounding pack of Aloha Betanio, Karl Ann Pingol and Kristine Cayabyab pieced together a 13-3 run for NU, pushing the Lady Bulldogs’ lead to 25.
Despite drilling three triples in the final frame and outscoring NU, the Diliman-based squad could not trim down its deficit, ultimately falling to the Lady Bulldogs.
The defending champions capitalized on the Maroon cagers’ lack of presence in the paint, scoring 54 points compared to State U’s 24.
Rookie Cunanan stood tall in the Fighting Maroons’ valiant effort with 18 points, seven rebounds, an assist and two steals. Mainstay Nolasco contributed 14 markers and three boards while Louna Ozar led UP’s defense with nine steals.
Cayabyab and Pingol led the Lady Bulldogs to their seventh straight win with 19 and 16 points, respectively.
The WBT will seek to turn the tide as it faces the unbeaten University of Santo Tomas Tigresses on Wednesday, Nov. 5, at the same venue.
