By ADRIAN STEWART CO

The University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigresses moved on to the semifinals of the 2025 WMPBL Season with a 63-54 win over the New Zealand-Bluefire Valkyries in the quarterfinal round at the New Era Gym.

Negrense Kent Jane Pastrana finished with 11 points.

Nigerian Isioma Onianwa led the way with a double-double of 21 points and 14 rebounds as the Growling Tigresses moved on to the Final Four round.

Holding to a slim 50-46 lead with less than five minutes left in the game, the Growling Tigresses went on a 9-0 scoring run, including six from Onianwa, to establish the largest lead of 13 points at 59-46.

“Yes, happy na nanalo pero not satisfied yet kasi alam ko marami pang kailangang i-improve both on the technical side ‘tsaka sa pagdating sa effort,” Growling Tigresses head coach Ged Austria said after the game.

“Pero pagdating sa panalo, a win is a win,” he said.

“We want to advance kaagad, which is nagawa naman namin. Everything else, mako-correct naman sa susunod,” the son of San Miguel Beermen mentor Leo Austria added.

Camille Claro paced the New Zealand-Bluefire with 15 points and four assists, while Snow Peñaranda had 14 points and nine rebounds in a losing cause./ASC, WDJ