University of Santo Tomas ended a 17-year wait to finally get its hands on the elusive University Athletic Association of the Philippines women’s basketball crown.
But first, the Growling Tigresses had to climb out of a 15-point hole.
Then UST turned to senior guard Nikki Villasin’s crucial breakaway layup with 11.6 seconds left for the championship-winning basket that completed a dramatic come-from-behind 71-69 win over dethroned National University in Game 3 of their Season 86 best-of-three finals duel yesterday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Tigresses pulled off a miraculous victory over a well-experienced and star-studded Lady Bulldogs, who saw their seven-season dynastic rule come crumbling down when Tin Cayabyab’s last second triple over the sticky defense of Tacky Tacatac and Rocel Dionisio went way short as the final buzzer sounded.
UST players and those on the bench then rushed inside the court to celebrate their 12th championship overall and first since 2006.
The Tigresses won the series opener, 76-72, before the Lady Bulldogs escaped Game 2 by the skin of their teeth, 72-70.
“I’m really lost for words,” a very emotional UST head coach Haydee Ong said after winning her first UAAP title as tactician.
“I’m happy for the girls. They worked hard to get this. We’re down big but I told them: Don’t give up. Stick together. Let’s slowly work our way back,” the former women’s national team mentor added.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF UAAP TANTOY Ferrer of UST raises the trophy after emerging as finals Most Valuable Player in the UAAP Season 86 women’s basketball tournament.
Graduating forward Tantoy Ferrer, who was named Finals Most Valuable Player, delivered a double-double in her last game with 19 points — including nine straight in UST’s closing 13-2 run — and grabbed 14 rebounds for UST.
Kent Pastrana added 16 markers while Villasin made 12 points none bigger than her layup that sealed the return of the title to España.
UST patiently chased the Lady Bulldogs in the final 10 minutes of the ballgame after going down 46-61 with 18 seconds left in the third quarter.
With NU still up, 67-58, Pastrana blasted a personal 9-2 blitz hitting a triple followed by three free throws before capping it with another trey.
Pastrana would have tied the game with 1:26 left but her layup was nullified as it was released after the shot clock buzzer sounded.
NU came out empty-handed in a couple of possessions including Camille Clarin’s costly error of losing the ball while driving for a layup.
Pastrana then shook off Clarin with a couple of nasty crossovers before sinking a turnaround jumper for the equalizer, 69-69, with 26 seconds left.
Stephanie Berberabe missed a jumper on the Lady Bulldogs’ possession before Dionisio grabbed the defensive board and dishing out an outlet pass for the dashing Villarin.
“NU gave us a lot of chances to get back. We made good stops at the last minute. That spelled the difference,” Ong said.
“Credit to the heart of my players. They didn’t give up even if they were down big.”
Cayabyab had 18 points, Princess Farbruada got 13, Karl Pingol finished with 11 markers while Angelica Surada made nine markers and 12 boards in a lost cause for NU.
Clarin had a terrible game with just two points, going 0-of-11 from the field.
A huge 12-0 run to end the first half was all NU needed to shatter a 32-32 deadlock for a double-digit cushion heading into halftime.
NU had a hard time shaking off feisty UST, which kept the game close for one and half quarters. Tied at 32 in the second canto, the Lady Bulldogs then clamped down on defense and found their mark to ignite the decisive blitz that proved crucial in weathering the desperate fightback of the Tigresses in the final quarter.
Princess Fabruada capped the 12-0 run with a split from the free throw line to end the first half with a 44-32 lead.
The Scores:
UST (71) — Ferrer 19, Pastrana 16, Villasin 12, Tacatac 9, Bron 4, Dionisio 4, Santos 4, Ambos 3, Maglupay 0, Soriano 0, Amatong 0, Serrano 0.
NU (69) — Cayabyab 18, Fabruada 13, Pingol 11, Berberabe 9, Surada 9, Canuto 5, Clarin 2, Konateh 2, Bartolo 0, Betanio 0, Solis 0.
QUARTERS: 19-19, 32-44, 47-61, 71-69.
