Pat Aquino eager to see NU Lady Bulldogs continue to succeed without him

MANILA, Philippines — Pat Aquino has moved on from his post as the head coach of the highly successful NU Lady Bulldogs after leading the basketball team to six straight UAAP championships.

In order to focus more on his duties with the Gilas Pilipinas women's team, and his other commitments, Aquino left the position in May — shortly after the Nationals won gold in the 31st Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi.

Now that he'll be an outsider looking in, with Aris Dimaunahan taking his place, the veteran mentor is optimistic they will continue to shine as the elite program that they are.

"I'm excited, actually, to see them play again. We did see them play again [in 3x3]. It was good na maganda parin yung team, malakas pa rin," Aquino told Philstar.com.

By the end of the last UAAP women's basketball tournament in 2019, the NU Lady Bulldogs captured a dominating six-peat and bumped up their historic win streak to a whopping 96 games.

Despite moving on from that chapter of his life, Aquino continues to root for his former wards as they try to extend their reign over the UAAP women's basketball field.

"Hopefully that they will get that 100th win streak or more," said Aquino.

With Dimaunahan, whose daughter coincidentally plays with the Lady Bulldogs, now talking his place, Aquino wants nothing but sweet victory for the highly touted program.

"I'd like to say good luck to the NU Lady Bulldogs and to Coach Aris who will be their mentor na so, yeah, so happy and excited for them," he said.

The NU Lady Bulldogs will see UAAP 5-on-5 action for the first time in three years when Season 85 tips off in October.