UST force rubber match with a rout of UE

Anjel Anies and UST lived to fight another day after forcing a rubber match against UE this afternoon. Michael Joseph Romero/Dugout Philippines

By Kevin Estrada

PASAY CITY -- One More Chance.

That's how UST growled to fight for one more time in a right to return to the UAAP Women's Basketball finals after negating UE's postseason bonus with a 63-53 win Wednesday afternoon at the MOA Arena.

The Tigresses of Haydee Ong had a vaunted pressure defense coupled with a deep roation to render the second seeded Lady Warriors' twice-to-beat advantage useless in the stepladder semifinal, forcing them to go on sudden death tiff Saturday morning at the same venue.

Coming off the bench for the second straight elimination game, combo guard Anjel Anies exploded once again, firing 21 points on a 47% shooting to lead all scorers.

Jem Angeles and Sai Larosa backstopped Anies by firing 12 points apiece, with the former completed a triple double by grabbing 11 rebounds in the process.

UST led by as much as 18 on an Anies triple with 4:30 to go in the second quarter to fend off the Lady Warriors late charge in the final frame.

UE ignited a late run, pulling to within six with 1:17 to go but Kikay Gandalla ended it with a booming trey with 11.9 seconds left

Aileen Libornio's side failed to get into the groove right from opening tip, with foul trouble to key cogs Eunique Chan and Ruthlaine Tacula harmed UE in more ways than one.

Chan incurred her first three fouls in the opening period en rout to her early graduation with 8:01 left in the game, with Tacula followed her in the final five seconds of the game.

The scores:

UST 63 -- Anies 21, Angeles 12, Larosa 12, Jerez 10, Gandalla 6, Aujero 1, Capilit 1, Portillo 0, Sanggalang 0, Rivera 0, Peñaflor 0, Isanan 0, Magat 0

UE 53 -- Tacula 14, Sto. Domingo 12, Requiron 11, Chan 5, Gayacao 4, Cortizano 4, Ramos 3, Francisco 0, Antonio 0

Quarter scores: 17-9, 33-21, 47-35, 62-53

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