By ADRIAN STEWART CO
The University of Santo Tomas (UST) Growling Tigresses came out blazing in the UAAP Season 88 women’s 3×3 basketball tournament, opening their campaign with dominant wins over two contenders at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay on Monday, April 27.
The Growling Tigresses, who finished third last season in the tournament sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, routed defending champion Ateneo Blue Eagles bannered by Kacey dela Rosa, 21-9, before closing the day with a 21-10 victory over the Adamson University Lady Falcons led by Cheska Apag.
Negrense Kent Pastrana, a multiple-time UAAP Elite Team member, spearheaded UST’s attack, scoring 11 points against Ateneo before tallying eight points and 13 rebounds against Adamson.
“Sobrang happy ako, especially, puro rookie ang kasama ko ngayon at ako lang ang senior,” Pastrana said.
“Sobrang happy ako sa performance ng mga kasama ko at ipinakita nila na gusto nilang manalo at ibinigay nila ‘yung best nila. Team effort pa rin talaga,” she added.
Fil-Australian rookie Erinn Mcalary provided solid support, finishing with five points and five rebounds against the Blue Eagles before adding six points against the Lady Falcons.
Joining UST atop the standings with a 2-0 record is the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws, which escaped with a 15-14 win over the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons before edging the De La Salle University Lady Archers, 14-13.
Amyah Espanol led the Lady Tamaraws in both games with 10 points each.
The middle of the standings remains tight, with La Salle, the University of the East (UE) Lady Warriors, Adamson and Ateneo all holding 1-1 records after Day 1.
Kyla Go scored 10 points in La Salle’s 21-12 win over UE to open its campaign.
Apag fired eight points as Adamson stunned the National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs, 17-15.
Dela Rosa anchored Ateneo with 10 points and eight rebounds in an 18-14 bounce-back win over NU, while Clarence Onate drained the game-winner in UE’s 19-18 overtime upset of UP./ASC, WDJ