After dropping their first-round matchup against National University Nazareth School, the University of Santo Tomas made sure there would be no heartbreak this time — only a long-awaited coronation that kept the UAAP girls’ basketball championship at España.
The Junior Growling Tigresses put the finishing touches on their growing dynasty, outlasting the Lady Bullpups in a thrilling Game 2, 76-74, to capture the UAAP Season 88 High School Girls’ Basketball Tournament crown Sunday afternoon at the Blue Eagle Gym in Quezon City.
Earlier in the season, NUNS stunned UST with a 74-62 win, handing the Tigresses their first loss since 2020.
Since then, the Junior Growling Tigresses overcame every opponent in the four-team field — including the stern challenge of the Lady Bullpups in each matchup, from their second-round 97-86 overtime win in Game 1 on March 15, to the down-to-the-wire Game 2 — to successfully defend their UAAP girls’ basketball championship.
“I think that loss was a very big part, kasi we came to know our weaknesses. And we came to know na we’re lacking in a lot of things — especially yung aming emotional control, yung mental toughness, yung aming psyche. It was really a great journey from then on,” said Tigresses head coach Arsenio Dysangco.
“And like I said kanina sa kanila, it was never the journey or the destination. It’s always what we become during or on that journey. And I am very, very proud of what these girls became after nung talo na yun,” he added.
“That’s what it’s all about. It’s all about learning, it’s all about improving. It’s all about failing and then standing back up. And it’s always competing and never giving up.”
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
Through three iterations of the UAAP girls’ basketball tournament, this triumph marked UST’s second consecutive title and third overall — building on a co-champion finish with Adamson University in Season 82 (2020) and a sweep of NUNS in the best-of-three Finals last Season 87.
Beyond the championship, the win also highlighted UST’s growing dominance over NU’s girls’ and women’s basketball programs, following the Growling Tigresses’ collegiate title run in a nail-biting three-game series against the Lady Bulldogs last semester.
“It was an incredibly great series, and I tip my hats off sa kalaban namin. They fought really well, and it was really a great thing. And I am really very proud of my girls. We were down by how many times, but they just found a way back up. And in the end, they found a way to win and defend our title,” Dysangco added.
Game 2 was a tightly contested affair, featuring four deadlocks and 13 lead changes. UST looked poised to seize control as early fourth-quarter hits from Pia Petalcorin, Janice Oczon, and newly-crowned Season 88 MVP Riri Perez gave them a 64-60 cushion.
But Season 88 Elite Team members Aubrey Lapasaran and Zaydhen Rosano answered for NUNS with layups that tied the game at 67-all with 4:45 remaining.
Mirroring their Season 87 title quest, the Tigresses leaned on a late-game surge, igniting a crucial 9-3 run capped by a layup and fadeaway jumper from Perez to restore a six-point, 76-70 lead with 2:14 left.
The Lady Bullpups tried to fight back, as an Inday Sales free throw and a Lapasaran three-pointer cut the lead to 76-74 with 51.9 seconds remaining. But under 30 seconds, Lapasaran missed a potential tying triple, and Indonesian center Koukou Talla blocked Ruiza Olmos’ layup attempt with 2.1 seconds left, sealing UST’s dream season.
Perez, a 17-year-old guard from Iloilo, capped off her stellar campaign by claiming Finals MVP honors, averaging 18.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 3.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks across the two-game series.
“Super thankful ako kay Coach Sen kasi yung hindi tinuturo sa amin sa basketball, tinuturo niya. Hindi lang sa basketball, pati sa buhay,” said Perez, who posted 12 points, eight rebounds, three steals, two assists, and two blocks in Game 2.
“Super proud din ako sa team namin ngayon, kasi kahit anong challenges ibigay sa amin, nalagpasan namin dahil siguro tinuruan kami ni Coach Sen na maging matapang.”
Season 88 Elite Team member Lea Pinuela added 14 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Oczon contributed a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds with four steals and an assist in her final UAAP girls’ basketball game.
Petalcorin chipped in 13 points, seven rebounds, and two steals, while Sabel Anacan added nine points and two blocks.
(C) UAAP Season 88 Media Team
In their second season in the UAAP girls’ division, NUNS again fell short of solving the UST puzzle, losing three of four encounters against the Tigresses — their only defeats of Season 88.
Lapasaran led NUNS with 22 points, six rebounds, two assists, and two steals in her final UAAP girls’ basketball game, while Sales added 20 points and two rebounds.
Rosano finished with 10 points on 4-of-15 shooting but contributed nine rebounds, three assists, three steals, and a block. Olmos, the Season 88 Rookie of the Year, had nine points, five rebounds, two blocks, one assist, and one steal.
The Scores:
UST (76) – Pineula 14, Oczon 14, Petalcorin 13, Perez 12, Anacan 9, Abrantes 6, Insoy 5, Talla 3, Labay 0, Arciaga 0, Calig-onan 0.
NUNS (74) – Lapasaran 22, Sales 20, Rosano 10, Olmos 9, Badajos 4, Singson 4, Mallari 3, Katigbak 2, Biongcog 0, Luzana 0.
Quarterscores: 17-19, 42-43, 58-58, 76-74.
