Amiel Acido of UST.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines – Rookies Amiel Acido of the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers and Cielo Pagdulagan of the National University Lady Bulldogs both turned in standout performances as their teams finished strong in the final week of the elimination rounds of the UAAP Season 87 Basketball Tournaments.
For their veteran performances, Acido and Pagdulagan were named the UAAP Collegiate Press Corps (CPC) Players of the Week for November 13-23, advancing to the highly anticipated Final Four.
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Acido, along with teammate Mo Tounkara, UP’s Harold Alarcon and NU’s PJ Palacielo, bested fellow nominee Quentin Millora-Brown of UP in a tight battle to claim the final POW award of the season.
READ: UAAP: UST freshman Amiel Acido has another memorable game in San Juan
The 6-foot-2 rookie scored 14 points, two rebounds, one assist and one block in UST’s decisive 75-49 victory over Adamson, taking the team to the Final Four for the first time in five years.
“I dealt with the coaches, the teammates and then the PTs. Sila Yung nagged Rason as she got into position. “I am grateful for the future and grateful for the blessings I have received and the opportunity I have given Coach Pido,” said Acido, who came up big in the second half with crucial three-pointers to help UST breakaway brake.
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“Say it’s important to your good team. No wonder it doesn’t work out in the Final Four. The mindset we have to work with is to take advantage of opportunities, to use them to help out and that is not the case so that we can achieve goals as a team,” he said as UST enters the semi-finals as the third seeded squad .
NU Lady Bulldogs’Cielo Pagdulagan.–UAAP PHOTO
On the other hand, Pagdulagan was the first choice for the weekly award in women’s basketball ahead of bigger names like UP’s Louna Ozar, UST’s Kent Pastrana and Tacky Tacatac, NU’s Angel Surada and UP’s Kaye Pesquera.
The standout 19-year-old delivered a steady performance in the final two games, hitting well from the field to steer the Lady Bulldogs to a 14-0 win over DLSU and FEU and earn a final berth in the to secure the final.
Pagdulagan averaged 11 points, three rebounds, 1.5 assists and 0.5 blocks to become the second Lady Bulldog to win the weekly award, joining veteran Camille Clarin, who was in the middle of her redemption for two consecutive wins Player of the week for last year’s runners-up was Tour.
READ: NU Lady Bulldogs advance to UAAP finals
“Super happy first year kasi, ko tapos nag sweep po agad kami sa mai finals. But that’s not all Ate Angel said, the job isn’t done yet. It wasn’t easy to sweep in the finals without this being the case. And that’s not all, but it cannot be ignored that this is the case,” said Pagdulagan.
“Di kami magiging kampante. 10 days are not over yet, but the naming process is ongoing and ends with the finals.
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Pagdulagan entered the Final Four with a 10-day break and shared: “Di kami magiging kampante. 10 days are not over yet, but the naming process is ongoing and ends with the finals.