Ilongga’s triple-double lifts NU over Adamson

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Ilongga Karl Ann Pingol was everywhere on the court and led National University to a lopsided 86–57 victory over Adamson University in the ongoing UAAP Season 88 Women’s Basketball Tournament on Nov. 8, 2025, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.

The pride of Pototan, Iloilo, displayed another all-around brilliance and capped off the massive win with a triple-double stat line of 17 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists, two steals, and two blocks.

NU needed every ounce of Pingol’s intangibles after the Lady Falcons threatened to spoil the Lady Bulldogs’ 10-point lead with a counter 15–0 run to erase their deficit.

However, the more experienced Lady Bulldogs pushed Adamson to the brink after unleashing a demoralizing 16-point scoring advantage in the third frame that proved to be enough with only a quarter left of action.

Tin Cayabyab kicked off NU’s third-quarter madness, while the duo of Aloha Betanio and Angel Surada provided some much-needed hits that helped the Lady Bulldogs protect their double-digit lead heading to the fourth.

Meanwhile, Pingol played a redefined quarterback role during NU’s surge, directing traffic to locate the wide-open shooters while also anchoring the paint that piled up the Lady Bulldogs’ defensive boards.

The Ilongga hooper weaved her magic in so many ways in the fourth despite slowing down offensively, taking on the challenge to defend Adamson’s imposing frontcourt while dishing out pocket passes, which Surada and Betanio benefited from the most.

Pingol did most of her damage in the first half as she put pressure on Adamson’s forwards with her relentless drives to the basket.

In the first four offensive sets of NU, Pingol initiated them all, converting a tough layup while tallying two assists that set the tone for the Lady Bulldogs.

Pingol recorded her second consecutive triple-double, following her 12 markers, 11 boards, and 11 dimes outing during NU’s one-sided win over De La Salle University last week.