UST fends off late Ateneo challenge to go solo second

UST Tigresses' Jem Angeles superb 20 point output this morning plunged the Ateneo Lady Eagles to its third straight loss this season.  
By Kevin Estrada

QUEZON CITY -- UST continued its growling strides in the UAAP Women's Basketball tournament, downing Ateneo in a tight 71-65 win Wednesday noon at the Big Dome.

Haydee Ong's Tigresses strung their second back-to-back wins of the year, bouncing back from their harrowing defeat at the hands of unbeaten NU to go solo second at 4-1.

"With the [4-1] standing, of course I'm happy but with the game, I'm not," a bittersweet Ong told Dugout Philippines after the game.

"We could have blown out the game earlier. But in the end it was close because of our own turnovers and defensive lapses," Ong added, baring that Anjel Anies had a sprain that caused her numbers to drop in her first start to the season.

Senior guard Jem Angeles have taken the scoring chores for UST with 20 points, with power forward Sai Larosa came just a board short of a double-double, helping her captain with 14 markers.

Jolina Go's game high of 26 points went down for naught for the Lady Eagles who lost for the third straight game after starting the season with back-to-back wins.

After Go opened the game with a triple, UST took over the opening ten minutes, with their signature pressure defense limited them to just single digits in the first ten minutes for a 20-9 lead.

UST and Ateneo then engaged in a shootout in the second, wih the latter winning that period to reduce the deficit to ten at the break.

But UST was able to fend off the pressure of the Lady Eagles for an eight-point advantage after three.

Angeles gave UST the biggest lead at 15 with a three-ball in the payoff period, but Go and Deacon put up an 8-0 fightback.

However Rivera put the game to bed with a crucial bucket with 1:05 to go, and the Tigresses used the free-throw line to formalize their fourth win of the season.

The Scores:


UST 71 -- Angeles 20, Larosa 14, Peñaflor 9, Anies 8, Rivera 8, Portillo 7, Aujero 2, Magat 2, Jerez 1


ADMU 65 -- Go 26, Deacon 10, Yam 10, Villamor 7, Buendia 4, Cancio 4, Newsome 4


Quarter scores: 20-9, 38-28, 51-43, 71-65


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