CALATAGAN - National University's Lady Bulldogs added another hardware to its already loaded trophy case, taking home the UAAP Season 84 women's 3x3 basketball crown on Friday.
It's a proof that the system never fails despite the change in leadership with coach Aris Dimaunahan taking over the role left by Pat Aquino.
"Sobrang masaya kasi I was given the chance to handle the team and I'm super fortunate na yung players na na-handle ko ay sila," said Dimaunahan of the quartet of Camille Clarin, Angel Surada, Kristine Cayabyab, and Karl Ann Pingol.
[See Cayabyab clutch as NU completes 3x3 threepeat]
It helped that these players, as young as they are, have already represented the country in international youth 3x3 tournaments in the past.
But games aren't won on paper, and as big of a leg-up as NU may have had with the players' familiarity, they still had to make sure to take home the W.
"They've been playing 3x3 and kumbaga, may chemistry na sila. Mas madali sila i-coach and they know their strengths and weaknesses," said Dimaunahan. "Pero I'm still very happy for them most especially kasi talagang grabe ang tinrabaho nila the past two days."
NU stamped its class in the two-day event at Crusoe CaSoBe here, dispatching foes left and right before surviving game challenges from Ateneo in the semifinals and University of Santo Tomas in the championship game.
In the end, the campaign was about Dimaunahan upholding the legacy by Aquino that enabled NU's women's basketball team to post 96 straight wins and six straight championships in five-on-five basketball, and a burgeoning 20-0 record and a three-peat in the 3x3 game.
"Coach Pat has left very big shoes to fill. Iba yung nagawa ni coach Pat sa NU team at community, but ang focus namin right now is yung daily growth ng bawat isa sa team and the team itself. Gusto namin mag-improve daily para maging prepared sila sa upcoming UAAP kung matutuloy," he said.
"I think we're on the right track sa ginagawa namin. We're just introducing our system to the new guys and to the old guys na natira. Hopefully mas mapabilis namin yung transition at ma-absorb nila yung gusto naming gawin."
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