Eyes still on NU as UAAP women’s caging returns

MANILA, Philippines — National U ushers in a new era with new coach Aris Dimaunahan but the mission remains the same in extending an amazing 96-game winning streak highlighted by six straight UAAP women’s basketball championships.

With Dimaunahan as the new captain of the ship in lieu of former mentor Pat Aquino, the Lady Bulldogs will grab the attention when women’s basketball opens side-by-side with the men’s hoops for Season 85 on Saturday.

It will be the first women’s cagefest since 2019 when NU completed a six-peat and booked 96 straight wins.

Dimaunahan, however, said the goal to protect NU’s throne is not easy.

“We are slowly improving daily as we prepare for the upcoming season. Our approach is we try to improve on a daily basis and compete each day and let the result take care of itself,” Dimaunahan told The STAR ahead of his UAAP coaching debut.

“We are staying and living in the present and not trying to look too far ahead of ourselves.”

Aquino has decided to focus on the Gilas Pilipinas women’s program as director and head coach, leaving the keys to his trusted assistant in Dimaunahan, who vowed to maintain NU’s winning ways.

Dimaunahan will have an intact core led by Gilas Pilipinas stalwart Camille Clarin and his daughter Christiana Dimaunahan.

NU begins its campaign on Oct. 2 against University of the East at the Mall of Asia Arena after the Oct. 1 opener featuring host Adamson against Santo Tomas and University of the Philippines against La Salle.