Defending champion University of Santo Tomas (UST) moved one victory away from sweeping the first round of the UAAP Season 89 women’s basketball tournament after overpowering De La Salle University, 83-62, on Wednesday, October 21, at the Mall of Asia Arena. The victory extended the Growling Tigresses’ unbeaten record to 6-0, while the Lady Archers dropped to 1-5 after suffering their fourth consecutive defeat.
After a competitive first half, UST took control behind Karylle Sierba, who delivered a game-high 20 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and two steals. The Tigresses led 40-33 at halftime before stretching their advantage to 62-49 entering the fourth quarter. A decisive 10-3 run in the final period pushed their lead to 73-52, effectively putting the game out of La Salle’s reach. CJ Maglupay added 14 points, while Brig Santos and Agatha Bron contributed 12 and 11, respectively. La Salle’s Bukky Ojo led her team with 21 points and 12 rebounds.
Despite the convincing result, UST head coach Haydee Ong emphasized the need for greater consistency on both ends of the floor, acknowledging that opposing teams are determined to challenge the defending champions. With six consecutive victories, UST now has a chance to complete a perfect opening round, while La Salle will attempt to end its losing streak against National University on Saturday, October 24, at the Blue Eagle Gym.
Image from UAAP Media