Rookie Pagdulagan earns UAAP Player of the Week honor

National University Lady Bulldogs’ Cielo Pagdulagan has been voted as the Collegiate Press Corps (CPC) UAAP Player of the Week backed by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) for the period of November 13 to 23.

Pagdulagan outperformed nominees Kent Pastrana and Tacky Tacatac of the University of Santo Tomas, Louna Ozar and Kaye Pesquera of the University of the Philippines, and teammate Angel Surada thanks to her consistent efforts for the Finals-bound Lady Bulldogs.

The 19-year-old rookie star has been dependable in their last two games, hitting accurately from the field to lead the Lady Bulldogs to victories over De La Salle University and Far Eastern University, completing a 14-0 sweep and securing a spot in the Finals.

Pagdulagan posted 11 points, three rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.5 blocks to become the second Lady Bulldog to capture the weekly plum after veteran Camille Clarin.

"I am super happy because it was my first year and then we immediately had a sweep in the finals. But as Ate Angel said, the job's not done. The reason why we had a sweep in the finals is because we really worked it out. And that's right, the fight isn't over yet, so we still have a lot of things to work on," Pagdulagan stated in Filipino. 

With ten days off before the Final 4, Pagdulagan revealed: “We will not be complacent. We have 10 days to work with our lapses, we can find a way so that when the Finals come, we won't have too much trouble and we can adjust."