100-game win streak a result of Lady Bulldogs’ dedication, says coach
MANILA, Philippines – NU head coach Aris Dimaunahan steered the Lady Bulldogs to history on Wednesday as they extended their win streak in the UAAP women's basketball tournament to 100 after a 79-44 beating of the UP Fighting Maroons at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
Now more than nine years since the Lady Bulldogs have found themselves on the losing end of a UAAP game, it makes one wonder about the program's secret.
Dimaunahan, having inherited the program from Pat Aquino earlier this year, said that it was the players' sheer will to improve despite their dominance that helps them handle the pressure of keeping the streak alive.
"Pressure? Lagi naman may pressure. Sabi ko nga dati, whatever level of basketball we're playing, there's always pressure but, mawawala yung pressure na yun if you know that your players are doing well daily," said Dimaunahan after their win over UP.
"They are there for each other in practice, and in game time. So yung pressure, medyo bumababa dahil nga sa, we're lucky to have these players in our roster kaya medyo dumadali ang trabaho naming mga coaches because they are dedicated, they don't want to lose, they put a lot of premium in their work, day in day out," he added.
Through the streak, a number of standouts have gone through the Lady Bulldogs program — from the likes of Afril Bernardino, Jack Animam, Risa Paig, Andrea Tongco, Gemma Miranda, Monique Del Carmen, among others.
Now, with younger wards like Karl Pingol, Mikka Cacho and Camille Clarin leading the team, the culture of keeping themselves grounded continues.
Despite everybody else thinking that an NU win is inevitable, the team continues to work on being better versions of themselves.
"That's why probably the results are like this as of the moment but we will not stop from improving," said Dimaunahan.
"We know that pahirap ito nang pahirap papunta sa dulo. Hindi ito magiging madali but then again if we stay together, just like we're yelling almost daily, being together, mas madali namin makukuha yung goal namin," he added.
As their win streak now climbs to three digits, NU hopes to continue bulldozing through the competition to their seventh straight UAAP women's crown.
Next for the Lady Bulldogs are the Adamson Lady Falcons on Saturday, October 15, at the Mall of Asia Arena.
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