Defending champion University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigresses continued its dominant run in the UAAP Season 89 women’s basketball, dismantling De La Salle University Lady Archers, 97-74, on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Growling Tigresses collected their ninth straight victory to preserve their unbeaten record and tighten their grip on the top spot with a 9-0 slate, moving closer to securing a Final Four berth.
UST head coach Haydee Ong acknowledged her team’s struggles from long range early in the game but urged her players to remain aggressive whenever they had open looks.
“I told them that we were shooting poorly sa three point shots natin. Pero I told the girls, just keep shooting basta libre. At least naakyat namin iyun sa 13,” Ong said.
Both squads had difficulty finding their shooting touch in the first half, converting just 30 percent of their attempts. However, UST gradually gained control through its outside shooting, burying five three-pointers to take a 43-30 advantage into halftime.
The Tigresses widened the gap after the break by attacking the openings in La Salle’s zone defense, eventually building a commanding 28-point lead at 92-64 in the fourth quarter.
UST also dictated the defensive battle, forcing 23 turnovers and generating significantly more field-goal attempts than the Lady Archers.
Brig Santos led the charge with 20 points, five rebounds and five assists, while stressing the importance of teamwork and defensive discipline.
“I had to be consistent and lead para sa mga bata. Kailangan na rin talaga kami magtulungan as a team and sa depensa,” Santos said.
Oma Onianwa delivered 14 points and 12 rebounds for a double-double, while Karylle Sierba added 17 points, five rebounds and three steals. Erinn McAlary chipped in 10 points and three rebounds.
Marga Dueñas paced the Lady Archers (1-8) with 18 points and four rebounds, while Kyla Go contributed 17 points, five assists and two steals. Bukky Ojo also scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds. (Adrian Co)
