National University young star Cielo Pagdulagan against University of Santo Tomas in the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball Finals Game 1. Photo from UAAP Media. 

MANILA (UPDATED) — National University extended its win streak in UAAP Season 87 women's basketball after its come-from-behind Finals Game 1 victory over the University of Santo Tomas (UST).

The Lady Bulldogs now have won 15 straight games since the eliminations after they moved past the Growling Tigresses, 72-71, in their Sunday afternoon faceoff at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.

This now gives NU a virtual twice-to-beat in the Best-of-3 series, and the Lady Bulldogs will be looking to close out the series in Game 2 on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

"The mindset of our team was it's very important to take Game 1," said NU head coach Aris Dimaunahan during the postgame presser. 

"Our mindset was to play possession by possession, but for some reason, in the first half, we had 22 turnovers. That's very uncharacteristic of us, but we'll take a look at those. Fortunately, nobody veered away in the second half," he added.

Karl Pingol finished with a team-high 18 points with nine rebounds, three steals, two assists, and a block, while Camille Clarin followed with 12 markers, four boards, two dimes, and two steals.

Cielo Pagdulagan tallied nine points with five rebounds, and the presumptive Rookie of the Year also delivered the most important basket for National U as her lay-in with under a minute left gave the Lady Bulldogs a 72-71 lead and eventually the pivotal victory.

On the other hand, Tacky Tacatac, who had eight, had a shot to win the game in the final possession, but her shot missed the bottom of the net. This, in turn, spoiled their stellar showing in the first half that at one point helped them sit on a 14-point cushion.

In the third period, as the Tigresses were up 51-37 after a triple by Agatha Bron with still 7:23 on the clock, National U slowly crawled back, 53-48, by handing out an 11-to-2 spurt in the same frame's next five minutes all thanks to baskets from Pagdulagan, Pingol, Aloha Betanio, Kristine Cayabyab, and Angelica Surada.

Pastrana answered with a four-point play with only 1:48 left in the third for a 57-48 UST lead, but Dimaunahan's wards had another run before the game reached the 30th minute.

Pingol made four shots from the foul line in their next two possessions, while Clarin and Surada closed out the quarter with a trey and a deuce, respectively, in the last 18 seconds to tie the game at 57.

Both teams then went on a back-and-forth affair in the last 10 minutes of action, but it looked like UST was poised to still take Game 1 home after Brigette Santos' basket under the rim with only 57 ticks left in the contest.

This was when Pagdulagan hit one of the most important shots of her career so far, giving National U a 72-71 lead, but the Tigresses had another shot to win the game despite Pastrana's traveling violation with only 39 seconds left, as they forced an NU shot clock violation.

In UST's next possession, Pastrana had the ball anew with Clarin guarding her — much like the former's game-tying basket in Game 3 of last year's Finals against the latter — but this time, the Lady Bulldogs senior's defense worked on Kent.

Pastrana dished the ball to Tacatac with only two seconds left, but the latter's struggles continued (2/7 FGs), as she missed what could have been the game-winning trey.

Pastrana led all scorers with 22 markers on top of six boards, three steals, and two dimes, while Santos followed her with 12 points, three steals, and three rebounds, but with six turnovers.

THE SCORES:

NU 72 — Pingol 18, Clarin 12, Surada 9, Pagdulagan 9, Fabruada 8, Betanio 6, Konateh 6, Cayabyab 3, Canuto 1, Villanueva 0, Solis 0.

UST 71 —  Pastrana 22, Santos 12, Tacatac 8, Soriano 7, Maglupay 7, Ambos 7, Bron 6, Sierba 2, Danganan 0, Serrano 0.

Quarterscores: 16-26, 37-46, 57-57, 72-71.