UST dethrones NU in historic claim of UAAP women’s 3x3 crown
Rob Andrew Dongiapon
History was not on the side of the Growling Tigresses,not until today.
For the first time since the event’s inception, the UST Growling Tigresses tamed the then-unbeaten NU Lady Bulldogs in the finals to snatch the UAAP women’s 3x3 basketball championship, 18–11, on Thursday night at the Calatagan South Beach in Batangas.
It was a win of enormous proportions as UST’s fairly dominant title-clincher marked the first time National University had lost a UAAP 3x3 basketball game since the event was introduced last 2018 in Season 80.
The Growling Tigresses’ 3x3 championship climb also meant that for the first time since Season 77, a women’s basketball trophy was not ruled by the National U — a run that stretched nearly a decade.
Absolving her absence last year due to ACL and MCL tears, Tantoy Ferrer poured out eight points, 10 rebounds, two assists, and two steals to carry the cudgels for UST.
Meanwhile, Season 85 5-on-5 MVP and newly-crowned 3x3 MVP Eka Soriano dropped seven points, six assists, and four rebounds to finish her glory-filled year with a title.
Last season, NU broke the Tigresses’ hearts at the final minute of their championship matchup as Kristine Cayabyab — who topscored for Lady Bulldogs in the game with eight — drained a putback that sent National U to its third straight 3x3 crown.
This time, however, the Tigresses never gave the Lady Bulldogs any room to repeat, putting the game out of NU’s hands through Soriano’s back-to-back deuces and a give-and-go bucket to pull away, 15–9, with merely three minutes left.
“Nandito nga sa t-shirt namin ‘redemption’ kasi last year tatlo lang kaming naglaro sa (final) at napatunayan naming kaya namin, ngayon napatunayan namin na mas kaya namin,” said Soriano on recalling last season’s defeat.
UAAP 5x5 mythical team member Tacky Tacatac chipped in three points for UST, while rising rookie Rocel Dionisio rounded out the effort with four rebounds and one assist.
Both squads traded baskets in the first seven minutes of the halfcourt game, with players’ shotmaking stood out despite some hardnose defensive coverages, before the UST’s Soriano turned up a notch and unleashed her heroics.
The win also marked the second 3x3 championship for the Growling Tigresses in 2023 after ruling the NBA Philippines 3x3 women’s tournament last March 26.
