Dionisio, Ambos will UST to 40-point mauling of UE
By Ernest Martin Tuazon
The UST Growling Tigresses (7–2) returned to their winning ways in the second round of the UAAP Season 85 women’s basketball tournament with a 40-point annihilation of the UE Lady Warriors (0–9), 76–36, Wednesday morning, at the UST Quadricentennial Pavilion.
After allowing UE to trim their lead to nine courtesy of an 11–4 run to end the opening frame, 21–12, the Tigresses held UE to two lone points in the second frame where they comfortably built a 28-point advantage, 42–14.
UST’s full-court pressure defense made the Lady Warriors scoreless until the early spurts of the third salvo where Kamba Kone made a floater. However, the Tigresses still held their 28-point advantage, 44–16.
In a game where seniors Tacky Tacatac and MVP frontrunner Eka Soriano were misfiring, freshmen bigs Rocel Dionisio and Rachel Ambos willed UST to its seventh win.
Dionisio’s double-double of 19 points (7-of-10, 70 percent) and 15 boards were complemented by Ambos’ 8 markers and 8 steals.
“Yun yung sinasabi ko parati sa bigs, because ibang teams talaga ay medyo maliit kami, they have to work harder, especially sa rebounding, and today na-prove naman ng bigs ay control namin si Kamba Kone and I’m quite happy with that,” head coach Haydee Ong said in thepost-game press conference.
The University had good looks from beyond the arc in the match but was only able to make 3-of-24 (12.5 percent) of their attempts.
“I guess we have to get more screens from the bigs to make the perimeters more open and hopefully it’s only a slump,” Ong added.
Coach Ong and the rest of her Tigresses look to build on this victory as they clash against the Adamson Lady Falcons on Nov. 6, Sunday, at the same venue.
The Scores:
UST (76) — Dionisio 19, Soriano 9, Tacatac 9, Pangilinan 8, Ambos 8, Villasin 7, Villapando 5, Santos 4, Bron 4, Serrano 2, Araza 1
UE (36) — Kone 11, Paule 8, Nama 5, Anastacio 4, Terrinal 4, Gervacio 2, Sajol 2, Silva 0, Tinio 0, Delig 0.
Quarter Scores: 21–12, 42–14, 60–25, 76–36.
