Tigresses maul Maroons for 4th straight win

MANILA, Philippines -- The University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigresses clawed the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, 84-57, to roll to their fourth straight win in the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball tournament Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

UST rose to 7-1 in the season, while UP dropped to 3-5.

Tacky Tacatac punched in 23 points for the defending champions, including five from 3-point territory, while Karylle Sierba punched in 15 with a 5-of-7 clip from long range.

The Tigresses were just leading by five, 49-44, in the third quarter, before they unleashed a 3-point barrage to end the quarter with an 11-2 run and grab a 60-46 lead heading into the fourth.

This gave UST the much-needed separation that tipped the match firmly to their side.

After four straight points by Louna Ozar to tow UP to within 10, 50-60, UST retaliated with a massive 17-2 blast to go up by 25, 77-52, at the halfway point of the final canto.

The lead grew to as much as 29 points, 84-55, after a Breana Pineda layup with less than a minute to go.

Arianna Sauz then sank a layup of her own to set the final score.

“I just told the girls that at the start of the second round we want to be better, we want to be more consistent, we want to be stronger, and the girls did it. First half was a seesaw battle from UP, sabi ko lang sa dugout tayo naman sa second half,” UST head coach Haydee Ong said.

Kent Pastrana added 11 points and five rebounds for the Tigresses, while CJ Maglupay produced 10 markers and 11 boards.

Ozar paced UP with 15 points and seven rebounds.

UST will try to make it five in a row against the Ateneo Blue Eagles on Saturday. UP, meanwhile, will try to bounce back against the undefeated National University Lady Bulldogs on Sunday.

Both games will be at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.