THE UST Junior Growling Tigresses are golden once again, securing back-to-back UAAP girls’ basketball titles with a finals sweep of the NUNS Lady Bullpups at the Ateneo Blue Eagle Gym on Sunday, March 22.
UST denied NUNS a shot at redemption with a narrow 76-74 victory in Game 2 of the Season 88 finale.
“It was an incredibly great series, and I tip my hat off to [NUNS]. They fought really well, and it was really a great thing,” UST head coach Arsenio Dysangco said postgame.
“And I am really, very proud of my girls. We were down by how many times, but they just found a way back up. And in the end, they found a way to win and defend our title,” he added.
Newly crowned league MVP Riri Perez took home the Finals MVP award after averaging 18.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and three steals in two games.
Janice Oczon played great for UST off the bench, contributing 14 points, 11 rebounds and four steals. Elite Team member Lea Pinuela added 14 markers, five boards and five assists, while Pia Petalcorin had 13 points and seven rebounds.
NUNS had an early 10-3 advantage after UST struggled offensively, shooting a woeful 1-of-10 from the field.
But the Junior Tigresses woke up from their slow start, as they cut their deficit to 19-14 to end the first frame behind 12 forced turnovers.
In the second salvo, the Lady Bullpups started to pull away, building upon a 12-4 run, highlighted by Hasly Mallari’s converted and-1 for a 43-32 cushion.
With two minutes left in the first half, UST fired back with a 10-0 blitz, capped by a buzzer-beating triple from Janice Oczon to put her team behind a point, 43-42.
The España girls took the lead for the first time in the third period, with an Oczon layup and a coast-to-coast effort from Perez, 46-43. But NUNS kept the game within reach, closing the quarter tied 58-all.
Deadlock at 67-all with less than five minutes left in regulation, UST sparked a 9-4 run behind a long bomb from Pinuela and a fadeaway from Perez, 76-70.
Elite Team member Aubrey Lapasaran tried to will her team back with a four-point play in the waning moments of the match, but failed to convert her free-throw and later a game-tying three-pointer.
Lapasaran and Inday Sales paced NUNS in the loss with 42 points combined, while Zaydhen Rosano added 10 markers.
In an outstanding defensive showing, UST forced 24 miscues, 18 of which came off steals. Six players recorded multiple steals, led by Elite Team awardee Koukou Talla’s four. F – Lorenzo Sebastion Amoroso
