THE UST Tigresses routed the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons, 51-38, in their Metroball 2nd Conference semifinals bid last June 11 in the Metro Gym at Mandaluyong City.
Carrying a 4-2 win-loss card, the Tigresses still have one game to play in the eliminations against the UP-Alumni team, but are sure to see action in the semifinals after securing the league’s third spot.
From a 22-all deadlock at halftime, Tigress team captain Nerissa Noscal’s 3-point play conversion caused a 9-5 run that put the Tigresses on top at the end of the third quarter, 35-31.
In the fourth quarter, UST’s defense clamped down on UP’s shooters that left the Maroons, scoreless for five minutes.
Coach Peque Tan’s wards then posted a 40-32 lead courtesy of Tigress forward Elaine Orillano’s three-point play conversion, five minutes remaining in the final canto.
Thereafter, Orillano, Marichu Bacaro and Remia Buenacosa teamed up in an 11-6 endgame surge at the expense of UP’s sluggish defense to seal the victory for the Tigresses.
Tan said that she had been looking forward to fight the Maroons and was satisfied with her wards’ performance.
“We really prepared to use the full court press all throughout the game and I am glad it worked to our advantage,” Tan said. “We proved to UP that we can beat them.”
Neophyte Bacaro led UST with her game-high 17 points, while rookie Buenacosa chipped in 11 markers.
Earlier, UST shamed the alumni-led Welcoat-UST, 75-49, last June 4 at the Metro Gym.
“The alumni players still had the shooting but we got the better of them because they (alumni) had not much endurance compared to my players,” Tan said.
Noscal paced the Tigresses with 11 points, while Bacaro added nine in the game. Maria Jesamine D.G. Palarca
