Rookie Kirby Mongcopa and veteran Ann Pingol emerged as key figures in the FEU Tamaraws and the NU Lady Bulldogs’ Final Four bids in UAAP Season 88 basketball.
With the Final Four battle in full swing, the FEU Tamaraws and the NU Lady Bulldogs have proven themselves peaking at the right time thanks to timely contributions from Kirby Mongcopa and Ann Pingol, leading to big wins this week in the UAAP men’s and women’s basketball tournament.
Mongcopa rose to the occasion in a gutsy overtime win over the Adamson Soaring Falcons, while Pingol continued to steady the fort for the defending champions to nab themselves the UAAP Players of the Week citations for the period October 29 to November 2.
Over in the men’s side, Mongcopa’s defensive stop against Adamson’s Monty Montebon helped save the day for FEU even as they surrendered a seven-point lead in the fourth quarter.
[RELATED: UAAP: FEU averts disaster with gutsy OT win over Adamson]
While missing crucial free throws in the endgame, Mongcopa continued to push and denied Adamson a chance to tie and send the game into double overtime. After Montebon’s heroics against UST in their last game, Mongcopa knew that it was adamant to stop him at all costs.
“'Yung tira ni Montebon, nakita ko na wala nang shot clock kaya diniretso ko na 'yun eh. Nakuha ko naman, 'yun nga lang, hindi napasok 'yung tira kong free throw na isa. Pero ayun nga, nasa pag-process yan,” he said.
Mongcopa finished with a double-double of 11 points and 17 rebounds in the 73-70 OT win, as he also denied Adamson most of their second chance shots with 12 of his boards coming on the defensive end.
Mongcopa squeaked past teammate Janrey Pasaol, Adamson’s Ray Allen Torres and Cedrick Manzano, La Salle’s Mike Phillips, and NU’s pair of Omar John and Steve Nash Enriquez for the weekly citation given out by print and online scribes covering the UAAP.
Then in the women’s tournament, Pingol’s first career triple-double helped the NU Lady Bulldogs keep their stride in their title defense to lock in their spot in the Final Four with a 97-67 demolition of the DLSU Lady Archers.
A veteran in the team, Pingol finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists to stuff the stat sheet in the resounding victory. She also had a whopping six steals and a block to tally a +44 in the +/- column.
[ALSO READ: Pingol records first career triple-double as NU clinches UAAP Season 88 Final Four berth]
Despite her dazzling individual performance, Pingol was quick to deflect the credit to her teammates and admitted that they were the ones to push her to perform the way that she did.
“Kanina, hindi ko rin kasi alam na ‘yon yung stats ko. Parang sinasabihan din ako ng coaches and yung mga kasama ko naman sa court, parang they fed me na kailangan ko raw ng ganito tapos kami raw bahala sa’yo,” she said after the match.
“Alam nila na hindi ko ‘yon magagawa pag wala sila, kailangan ko rin sila. Dahil din sa kanila ito,”
Pingol beat out teammate Aloha Betanio, UST’s Kent Pastrana and Karylle Sierba, and Adamson’s Cheska Apag and Elaine Etang for the weekly award.
FEU returns to action with Mongcopa leading the charge on Sunday, November 9, against the UST Growling Tigers to further push their Final Four hopes while Pingol and NU stake their win streak against the Adamson Lady Falcons on
Saturday, November 8, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
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Luisa Morales is a sports writer with a special interest in promoting women’s sports.
Her coverage highlights include the UAAP, PVL, Southeast Asian Games, and the FIBA World Cup. She also follows Alex Eala, the Philippine women’s national football team, and mixed martial arts.