Ashley Abong of National University Nazareth School goes for a layup during the game against De La Salle-Zobel in the UAAP Season 87 girls basketball tournament at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan on Thursday (Feb. 20, 2025). She had 17 points and nine rebounds as the Lady Bullpups demolished the Junior Lady Archers, 117-61. (UAAP photo)
After a tough loss to University of Santo Tomas (UST), National University Nazareth School (NUNS) made a strong statement on Thursday, crushing De La Salle Zobel (DLSZ) with a commanding 117-61 victory in the UAAP Season 87 girls’ basketball tournament at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
Ashley Abong led the charge for the Lady Bullpups with 17 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and one steal. The win improved NUNS’ record to 3-1, keeping them in second place in the standings.
Gilas Youth standout Aubrey Lapasaran, Hasly Mallari, and Rebekkah Pascua each contributed 15 points for NUNS. Lapasaran stuffed the stat sheet with eight rebounds, six assists, and six steals, while Mallari dominated the boards with 11 rebounds. Pascua added three rebounds and three steals to round out the team’s balanced effort.
Learning from the loss
Head coach Camilla Escoto emphasized the importance of their previous setback against UST, which ended in a 69-75 defeat.
“That loss was a blessing in disguise. It reminded us that we need to stay sharp and never be complacent. There are still many aspects of our game that we need to refine,” Escoto said in Filipino.
NUNS established its dominance early, setting the pace with a 20-11 lead in the first quarter before widening the gap to 53-36 at halftime.
DLSZ struggles to keep up
Despite a strong effort from La Salle-Zobel, they were no match for NUNS’ relentless offense. Erica de Luna led DLSZ with 15 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists. Princess Cordero contributed 12 points, while Sofia Martinez and Naima Navarro chipped in 10 points each.
DLSZ now holds a 1-3 record and faces an uphill battle in the tournament.
Looking ahead, NUNS will take on winless Ateneo de Manila on February 27, aiming to maintain their momentum. Meanwhile, DLSZ faces an even bigger challenge as they go up against unbeaten UST on Sunday.
With this dominant victory, NUNS has sent a clear message that they remain a formidable contender for the championship.