Action between UST and NU in the UAAP Season 88 women's basketball tournament. UAAP Media
MANILA -- For the third season in a row, University of Santo Tomas and National University will contest the UAAP women's basketball crown.
The Growling Tigresses advanced to the Season 88 Finals outright after a 14-0 sweep of the elimination round, but the defending champion Lady Bulldogs had to take a tougher path en route to their 11th straight Finals appearance.
National U lost twice to UST in the elimination round, then survived Ateneo de Manila University, 67-66, in the stepladder semis on Wednesday to advance.
READ: Surada steers NU women past Ateneo to set up finals rematch vs. UST
Game 1 of the best-of-3 series is set for Saturday at the Araneta Coliseum, with tip-off scheduled for 11:30 a.m.
"Now that the opportunity is here na we're going straight to the Finals, I think nagma-matter is yung character and identity namin as a team and how we handle yung championship series," said UST head coach Haydee Ong.
"As coaches naman, we're going to help them prepare for that scenario sa championship. The rest, yung adjustments, mangyayari na talaga sa mga bata," she added.
While the Tigresses aim to reclaim the crown they won in 2023, the Lady Bulldogs are targeting back-to-back titles under first-year head coach DA Olan.
"We had a hard time doon sa two games namin against UST. We really have to go back to the drawing board and probably adjust. Maraming adjustments ang mangyayari," said Olan.
"Hopefully, we'll give them a good fight and we'll do our best to defend the crown. Itong coming Finals, confident ako na itong mga players namin, would not quit easily. Bibigyan namin yung UST ng magandang laban," he added.
In the 16U Finals, unbeaten NU-Nazareth School and Far Eastern University begin their best-of-three series at 9:30 a.m.