No clear-cut edge: NU, UST dispute UAAP women’s hoops crown

MANILA, Philippines – It’s shaping to be anyone’s game for the taking. 

So for UST head coach Haydee Ong, it will likely be all mental when her Growling Tigresses target a second straight crown and spoil what had been a phenomenal UAAP women’s basketball season for the NU Lady Bulldogs. 

“I think there’s no more advantage or disadvantage between us and NU,” said Ong. “We will just play harder so that we can get Game 3. It’s all in our mindset, that we’ll do our best to get this do-or-die game on Sunday.”

NU and UST clash in the winner-take-all finale at 1 pm on Sunday, December 15, at the Araneta Coliseum.

Last Wednesday, the Lady Bulldogs had hoped to complete a perfect season, but the Tigresses halted their unbeaten run with a 78-68 Game 2 triumph.

NU rallied from 15 points down and even led by a point heading to the fourth quarter, before UST rookie Karylle Sierba took over.

Sierba, a prized homegrown talent, dropped 15 of her 18 points in the final frame, including crucial baskets that gave UST the lead for good, sending the series into a decider.

“Our players were relentless, they believed, we did not want to replicate the same scenario (Game 1 collapse). We just needed to play hard, and I thank the whole team,” said Ong, whose Tigresses recovered even after a heartbreaking 72-71 loss in the opener where they also blew a double-digit advantage.

Clearly, the Tigresses would need all the help they could get in Game 3 as the Lady Bulldogs put the clamps on UST star Kent Pastrana last game.

Third-year UST player Brigette Santos was among those who came through, supplying a game-high 27 points, a welcome statistic in a game where Pastrana, a Mythical member this season, was limited to just 11 points.

Sierba also hopes she could again play a key role as the Tigresses go for their last shot to keep the crown.

“I thought the [NU] defense wasn’t focused on me,” said Sierba. “This is the time to show off my skills, that I could go toe-to-toe with [NU].” – Rappler.com