THE UST Growling Tigresses got hot from deep as they pummeled the Ateneo Blue Eagles, 77-54, for their second win in the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, Sept. 11.
The Growling Tigresses shot 12-for-38 from the 3-point line, a 31.6-percent rate, and converted 10 more threes than the Blue Eagles to remain atop the standings with a 2-0 win-loss slate. Ateneo dropped to 1-1.
Kent Pastrana led the charge for UST with 20 points, eight rebounds, and three steals, while Tacky Tacatac drained four triples to finish with 14 markers.
“It was a total team effort. Lahat talaga nagtulungan,” head coach Haydee Ong said postgame.
“I think our biggest weapon talaga is our 3-point (shooting). Since last season, ‘yon talaga. Even our bigs can shoot din. ‘Yon talaga ay one of our key successes.”
UST was trailing by three early in the first quarter when Eka Soriano and Rachelle Ambos ignited the Tigresses’ offense with two threes, followed by a Pastrana layup in a 12-7 blitz that gave the Tigresses a two-point advantage, 17-15.
Pastrana then scored seven more in a 15-5 UST run, allowing the Tigresses to take a 32-20 edge before the second quarter.
Both squads exchanged baskets in the second period, but the Growling Tigresses fended off any Ateneo run to stay up by double digits at the half, 44-34.
Ateneo’s Kacey de la Rosa, the reigning MVP, led Ateneo’s third-quarter fightback with four straight points to trim UST’s lead to six, 44-38.
However, the Tigresses went on a 17-5 run built on triples by Pastrana, Tacatac, and Kayla Relliquette, to keep Ateneo at bay, 63-48.
UST veterans Soriano and Tacatac remained hot from distance to help the Tigresses cruise to the victory.
Soriano scored 12 points on 2-for-4 shooting from distance, while Ambos added 10 markers.
UST rookie Karylle Sierba, who scored 18 points in their season-opening win, tweaked her ankle at the end of the third quarter and did not return. She finished with four points and five rebounds.
De la Rosa led Ateneo with a double-double of 22 points and 20 rebounds while shooting 8-for-11 from the field. She was the lone Blue Eagle in double digits.
The Growling Tigresses will try to make it three straight as they face the also undefeated Adamson Lady Falcons on Sunday, Sept. 15, at the Adamson Gymnasium. Rob Andrew L. Dongiapon
