Tigresses tame Lady Bulldogs to reclaim UAAP Season 88 crown

QUEEN of the jungle once more.

Proving that its stellar run two seasons ago wasn’t a fluke, University of Santo Tomas (UST) put on a roaring 79-64 statement victory over champion National University (NU) in Game 3 to reclaim the throne in the UAAP Season 88 women’s basketball on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The UST Growling Tigresses, who ended the NU Lady Bulldogs’ seven-year reign in Season 86 before being dethroned right away the next season, returned the favor once again in their trilogy to still get the job done after being denied of a perfect season.

It’s the 13^th tiara for Santo Tomas, the most in the women’s division, slowly but surely reclaiming its lost glory after dynastic NU lorded it over with eight championships in 11^th straight finals appearances.

Graduating ace Kent Pastrana led the way for Santo Tomas, which swept the elims for an outright finals berth but lost in Game 1 for a dominant 16-1 campaign, with 16 points, nine rebounds, five assists, five steals and one block in only 25 minutes of play.

With an all-around average of 13.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 3.8 steals, Ms. Pastrana earned the Finals MVP plum for a fitting swan song of her storied UAAP career marked by two titles and four Elite Team (Mythical Team) citations.

And she wasn’t alone this time around, drawing ample support from Nigerian center Oma Onianwa (15), Karylle Sierba (10) and CJ Maglupay (10). Eka Soriano, the Season 85 MVP and also a graduating Tigress, chipped in 10 points, six assists and five rebounds for a sweet exit with Ms. Pastrana.

Santo Tomas rode on its convincing 95-70 win in Game 2 to avenge a close 84-79 win in Game 1, running away in the middle quarters to frustrate NU once again. After a flat 11-21 start, the Growling Tigresses unleashed a 26-9 rally in the second frame and just shattered the gates wide open in the third period to erect a comfortable 18-point gap.

And it was all Santo Tomas from there, leading by as many as 21 points to send NU crashing back to Earth.

Karl Ann Pingol, who was crowned as the Season MVP, bled for just six points albeit she scattered six rebounds, five assists, two steals and three blocks as the efforts of Kristine Cayabyab (21), Aloha Betanio (11) and Marga Villanueva (10) proved insufficient for the Lady Bulldogs to defend their throne.

Angel Surada added seven points, bracing for a quick turnaround to catch up with Gilas Pilipinas women’s team in the 33^rd Southeast Asian Games in Thailand along with Ms. Pingol.

Meanwhile, joining Ms. Pingol in the Elite Team were her teammates Mses. Cayabyab and Surada alongside Ms. Pastrana and two-time MVP Kacey Dela Rosa, who’s also in Thailand for the wards of coach Pat Aquino. Ateneo’s Erica de Luna won Rookie of the Year. — John Bryan Ulanday

The scores:

UST 79 – Pastrana 16, Onianwa 15, Soriano 10, Sierba 10, Maglupay 10, C. Danganan 7, Santos 5, Bron 4, Relliquette 2, Ambos 0, K. Danganan 0, Pineda 0

NU 64 – Cayabyab 21, Betanio 11, Villanueva 10, Surada 7, Pingol 6, Solis 5, D. Medina 4, Alterado 0, Pring 0, S. Medina 0.

Quarterscores: 11-17, 37-30, 71-53, 79-64