University of Santo Tomas has proven that setbacks only fuel their fire.
After suffering their first loss of the season in Game 1 of the Finals—a defeat that brought them to the brink of a title heartbreak—the Growling Tigresses roared back to capture the UAAP Season 88 Women’s Basketball championship.
In a thrilling winner-take-all Game 3, UST bounced back from a shaky start to dethrone National University in a 79-64 victory, celebrated by a lively Sunday crowd at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The championship was the Growling Tigresses’ second title in three seasons, reclaiming the crown they lost to the Lady Bulldogs last year and solidifying UST’s position as the winningest program in the women’s division with 13 titles overall.
The win also served as a triumphant send-off for graduating seniors Kent Pastrana and Eka Soriano, who conclude their UAAP careers as champions.
In Game 1, NU stunned UST, which had swept the elimination round, with an 84-79 win. But the Tigresses roared back in Game 2, 95-70, to even the series.
“Siyempre, sa dalawang nasa harapan ninyo, Kent and Eka are my cornerstones. Without them, siguro mahihirapan kami to get another championship. We played for each other, we played with heart and pride together. Down in the second quarter, hindi bumigay ang mga bata,” said Growling Tigresses’ head coach Haydee Ong.
UST struggled offensively in the first quarter, making just four of 29 attempts as NU pulled ahead, 17-11.
But Pastrana, Karylle Sierba, and CJ Maglupay led the Tigresses’ fightback in the second quarter, turning the game around and taking a 37-30 halftime lead.
In the third, the floodgates opened as Soriano, Coi Danganan, and the rest of UST combined for 34 points to extend their lead to 71-53 heading into the fourth.
“Sobrang happy lang kami kasi ‘yung sakripisyo namin, ilang years na magkakasama kami ng UST, ito na ‘yung bunga. Nao-overwhelm ako kasi wala naman sa goal ko na makuha ‘yung Finals MVP, goal ko lang makuha ang championship. Mami-miss ko ang teammates ko, mamimiss ko ang mga kalaban dito sa UAAP kasi ito na ang last game namin ni Eka,” said Pastrana, who was named Finals MVP.
Pastrana, a four-time Elite Team member, capped her UAAP career with Finals averages of 13.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 3.8 steals. In the winner-take-all game, she led UST with 16 points, nine rebounds, five assists, five steals, and one block, finishing with a plus-22 rating in 25 minutes and 55 seconds on the court.
Nigerian center Oma Onianwa contributed 15 points, seven rebounds, two blocks, and one steal, while Season 85 MVP Eka Soriano recorded 10 points, six assists, and five rebounds.
Sierba added 10 points, seven rebounds, and three assists, and Maglupay finished with 10 points and eight rebounds.
For NU, Tin Cayabyab led with 21 points and six rebounds, while Aloha Betanio posted 11 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.
Marga Villanueva added 10 points, and Angel Surada, in her final game as a Lady Bulldog, tallied seven points, 16 rebounds, three assists, and two blocks.
Newly-minted MVP Ann Pingol contributed six points, six rebounds, five assists, three blocks, and two steals in her last game for NU.
