Nelson Morales

UAAP Players of the Week Acido, Pagdulagan defying rookie expectations as UST, NU prep for Final 4

Article (news)

Amiel Acido

Cielo Pagdulagan

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1732430132283IMG_5702.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="UST Growling Tigers rookie Amiel Acido. Photo from UAAP Media."/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">UST Growling Tigers rookie Amiel Acido. <em>Photo from UAAP Media.</em></span></span></span>MANILA — University of Santo Tomas’ Amiel Acido and National University’s Cielo Pagdulagan both put on outstanding performances as their teams finished strong in the final week of the elimination rounds of the UAAP Season 87 basketball tournaments.</div><p>For their veteran-like showings, Growling Tigers rookie Acido and Lady Bulldogs neophyte Pagdulagan were named Collegiate Press Corps UAAP Players of the Week for the period of November 13 to 23, just before the much-awaited Final 4.</p><p>Acido edged his teammate Mo Tounkara, the University of the Philippines’ (UP) Quentin Millora-Brown and Harold Alarcon, and NU’s PJ Palacielo to earn the final POW award of the season.</p><p>The 6-foot-4, former University of Perpetual Help System DALTA star tallied 14 points, two rebounds, one assist, and one block in UST&#x27;s decisive 75-49 victory over Adamson, propelling the team to the semifinals for the first time in five years.</p><p>“Nagpapasalamat lang ako sa mga gumabay sakin, lalo na sa coaches, sa teammates ko, and then sa mga PTs. Sila yung naging rason kung bakit ako nandito posisyon na to. Sobrang thankful ako sa kanila and grateful din ako sa mga blessings na dumadating sakin and sa opportunity na binigay ni Coach Pido.” said Acido, who came up huge in the second half with booming three-pointers to anchor UST&#x27;s runaway.</p><p>“Sobrang saya ko hindi lang para sa sarili ko pero para sa buong team rin. Matagal na nilang gustong makabalik sa Final 4. Ang mindset ko lang simula pa lang nung una is pag nabigyan ako ng chance, gagawin ko lang lahat para makacontribute para sa kanila, and yun nga, para matupad namin yung goals namin as a team.” he said as UST enters the semifinals as the third-seeded squad.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/11/17/after-breakout-game-amiel-acido-eager-to-stay-consistent-for-ust-1447">READ: After breakout game in his ‘home court,’ Amiel Acido eager to stay consistent for UST</a><br/><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1732430197002IMG_5703.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="NU Lady Bulldogs rookie Cielo Pagdulagan. Photo from UAAP Media."/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">NU Lady Bulldogs rookie Cielo Pagdulagan. <em>Photo from UAAP Media.</em></span></span></span>On the other hand, Pagdulagan was the top choice for the weekly honor in women’s basketball over bigger names like UP&#x27;s Louna Ozar, UST&#x27;s Kent Pastrana and Tacky Tacatac, NU’s own Angel Surada and UP&#x27;s Kaye Pesquera.</div><p>The 19-year-old standout has been steady in their last two games, hitting well from the field to steer the Lady Bulldogs in their victories over De La Salle University and Far Eastern University to complete a 14-0 sweep and clinch an outright finals slot.</p><p>Pagdulagan averaged 11 points, three rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.5 blocks to become the second Lady Bulldog to win the weekly plum after veteran Camille Clarin with back-to-back Player of the Week citations for last year’s runners-up midway through their redemption tour.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2024/11/23/uaap-nu-women-complete-elims-sweep-barge-into-finals-1246">READ: NU women complete elims sweep, barge into Finals</a></div><p>“Super happy kasi first year ko tapos nagsweep po agad kami sa may finals. Pero gaya nga po ng sinabi ni Ate Angel, job’s not done. Kung bakit po kami nag sweep sa finals kasi wi-nork po talaga namin. And yun nga, hindi pa po tapos ang laban, so kailangan pa po namin mag trabaho.” said Pagdulagan.</p><p>“Di kami magiging kampante. 10 days nga yun so yung mga lapses namin ngayon, pwede naming magawan ng paraan so pagdating ng Finals, hindi na kami masyadong mahirapan and makapag-adjust kami.”</p><p>Heading into the Final 4 with a 10-day break, Pagdulagan shared: “‘Di kami magiging kampante. 10 days nga yun so yung mga lapses namin ngayon, pwede naming magawan ng paraan so pagdating ng Finals, hindi na kami masyadong mahirapan and makapag-adjust kami.”</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:<span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E5poZypRMK8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong></div>

<p>UST's Amiel Acido and NU’s Cielo Pagdulagan both put on outstanding performances as their teams finished strong in the final week of the elimination rounds of the UAAP Season 87 basketball tournaments. </p>

UST's Amiel Acido and NU’s Cielo Pagdulagan both put on outstanding performances as their teams finished strong in the final week of the elimination rounds of the UAAP Season 87 basketball tournaments.