Tigresses repel Lady Tamaraws for 3rd straight win

MANILA, Philippines -- The University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigresses finished the first round of the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball tournament on a high note after thwarting a rally by the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws to win 66-57 at the Mall of Asia Arena Saturday.

UST ended the first round of the tourney with a three-game winning streak as they added to the cellar-dwelling FEU squad’s woes.

Kent Pastrana paced the defending champions with 22 points and 11 rebounds, on 7-of-18 shooting. However, she had seven turnovers.

After trailing by 13 points in the fourth quarter, the Lady Tamaraws cut the lead to a single possession late.

The Tigresses, though, bared their fangs and ran away late.

UST led by 13 points, 56-43, after a pair of Pastrana free throws.

FEU cagers Maxene dela Torre, Shane Salvani and Joann Nagma then teamed up and sliced the lead to just three, 53-56, with 3:37 remaining.

The Espana-based cagers, however, found their rhythm and retaliated with a 7-0 blast capped by a layup by Pastrana off the steal to make it 63-53.

A Nagma layup with less than a minute to go kept the Morayta-based squad in it, but they could not creep closer.

Despite the win, UST head coach Haydee Ong said she is not happy with the performance of the team.

“With regards to our record, I told the girls kasi this would be our last game sa first round so this should be a momentum-builder for the next round but unfortunately they didn’t play what we expected for them to play,” Ong said.

“But, a win is a win. ‘Yung constant namin like Kent always performs naman so we need more players to show up and help Kent for our succeeding games,” she continued.

The Tigresses started the game hot, taking a 16 point first half lead, 35-19.

FEU, though, stormed back in the third quarter, unleashing a 7-0 blitz to cut the lead to just three, 43-46.

A CJ Maglupay deuce halted the run to give UST a 48-43 advantage heading into the final frame.

Come the fourth quarter, the Tigresses started with an 8-0 run capped by a pair of Pastrana free throws to take a 56-43 lead with 7:56 remaining before the Tamaraws rallied back.

UST is now holding a 6-1 win-loss record, good for solo second, while FEU dropped to 1-6.