Kyla Go exploded for 34 points as De La Salle University kept its fading Final Four hopes alive with a narrow 75-73 escape of the also-ran University of the Philippines in the UAAP Season 88 Women’s Basketball Tournament, Saturday evening at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Determined to make up for lost time after serving a one-game suspension, Go delivered a stellar all-around performance with 34 points on 12-of-28 shooting, five rebounds, four steals, and two assists.
Her heroics helped the Lady Archers snap a three-game skid and stay in the hunt for the last semifinal berth with a 5-8 record.
This marked Go’s second straight 30-point outing, following her 32-point eruption in a narrow 62-64 loss to FEU last Sunday, November 16.
The crucial win allowed La Salle to pull within a game of joint fifth-placers FEU and Adamson (6-7), with all three teams having one match left in the elimination round.
Adamson faces Ateneo tomorrow at the MOA Arena, while La Salle and FEU take on the Blue Eagles and the unbeaten UST Growling Tigresses, respectively, on Wednesday in the same venue.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
“We just played smart down the stretch, especially doon sa few possessions na we needed to execute properly and get a good shot. It’s a good thing na towards the end, especially Kyla Go and si Jane Araza and all the guys that were inside, are executing things the right way and not turning the ball over,” said La Salle head coach Cholo Villanueva.
Trailing 38-43 at halftime, the Lady Archers opened the third quarter with a pivotal 20-9 surge — highlighted by a five-point burst from Paulina Anastacio and a free throw from Aiesha Dizon — to reclaim a 58-52 lead with three minutes left in the frame.
La Salle seemed in control with a 71-61 cushion early in the fourth, but UP mounted a late charge behind back-to-back inside baskets from Achrissa Maw and Louna Ozar, plus three Shane Cunanan free throws. The 12-3 run cut the deficit to 74-71 with 57.4 seconds remaining.
That was the closest the Fighting Maroons would get. After Kyla Sunga committed a turnover on an inbound play, BB Barba missed a potential game-tying floater on the other end, allowing the Lady Archers to hang on and keep their postseason hopes alive.
Anastacio tallied 17 points, six rebounds, three steals, and one block before fouling out with under a minute left. Tricia Mendoza added eight points, five rebounds, three steals, two blocks, and two assists.
Sunga contributed five points and 11 rebounds, while Steph Villapando had five points, three steals, and one block.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
UP, which opened the season with a promising 2-0 start, lost 11 of its next 12 games to finish at 3-11 — its lowest showing since a 1-13 campaign in Season 82.
Cunanan led the Fighting Maroons with 21 points, 14 rebounds, and one steal. Maw added 10 points and eight rebounds, while Marielle Vingno also scored 10 alongside three rebounds and a steal.
Ozar capped her Season 88 with nine points, four steals, three rebounds, and three assists.
It was head coach Paul Ramos’ last game, as he revealed he will be stepping down from the program after seven years in charge.
The Scores:
DLSU (75) – Go 34, Anastacio 17, Mendoza 8, Sunga 5, Villapando 5, A. Dizon 3, S. Dizon 3, Camba 0, Araza 0, Dela Paz 0, Lubrico 0, Delos Reyes 0, Catalan 0.
UP (73) – Cunanan 21, Maw 10, Vingno 10, Ozar 9, Mendoza 6, Solitario 6, Nolasco 4, Pesquera 4, Barba 3, Tapawan 0, Mejasco 0, Evangelista 0.
Quarterscores: 17-23, 38-43, 64-56, 75-73.
