THE UST Growling Tigresses finally barged into the winning column with a 80-73 victory over the University of the Philippines Lady Maroons in the UAAP Season 79 women’s basketball tournament at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Saturday.
Shanda Anies nailed one of her seven triples with just 33.6 seconds remaining to put the Tigresses ahead, 76-72. Candice Magdaluyo iced the game with her free throws as UST improved to a 1-2 win-loss record.
UP bricked four of its eight freebies in the last minute and committed a costly turnover with 27.9 ticks remaining. The Lady Maroons fell to 0-3.
“We had crucial stops at the end of the fourth,” Growling Tigresses head coach Haydee Ong said. “We were making our three-point shots and ‘yung free throw shooting namin maganda.”
Anies led UST with a game-high 23 points. Misaela Larosa added 15 points and eight rebounds for the Tigresses while Magdaluyo also had 15.
The Tigresses were scoreless for four minutes in the second quarter as UP mounted a 15-4 outburst, 36-24. But Larosa presided over an 11-4 UST rally to even the game at 54-all in the third period.
Despite committing 38 turnovers, the Tigresses scored 28 points off UP’s 30 errors.
Lourdes Ordoveza chalked up 17 points while Daphne Esplana and Christine Aliermo each had 16 for the Lady Maroons.
UST will go up against the De La Salle University Lady Archers on Wednesday, 10 a.m., at the Mall of Asia Arena. Randell Angelo B. Ritumalta
